The United States is set to approve the first exports of advanced artificial intelligence chips to Saudi Arabia’s state-backed AI firm Humain, Bloomberg reported.

The decision coincides with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to Washington to meet President Donald Trump.

The deal is part of a broader US-Saudi AI collaboration. Under the agreement, a negotiated volume of AI chips — reportedly in the tens of thousands — would be authorised for export, after the kingdom had been restricted from acquiring such technology since 2023. Trump confirmed the negotiations in the Oval Office, referring to the deal as covering “certain levels of chips.”

Humain, which plans to deploy up to 400,000 AI chips by 2030, would benefit from access to hardware from major US manufacturers, including Nvidia, Advanced Micro Devices, and Qualcomm. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggested that the partnership would combine American tech firms with a smaller allocation for the Saudi startup, highlighting the US role in supporting the kingdom’s AI ambitions.

The approval follows months of careful deliberation in Washington over technology transfer risks. US officials have expressed concern that advanced semiconductors could indirectly aid China. In 2022, Washington restricted AI chip sales to China and maintained curbs on several countries, including Saudi Arabia, that might serve as indirect channels. Security conditions are expected to be included in the new agreement to address these risks.

Saudi Arabia has also publicly committed to limiting Chinese involvement in its AI sector. Humain has pledged not to source equipment from Huawei Technologies, China’s leading AI hardware provider, aligning with the kingdom’s assurances to the US.