EL7.AI
StocksMedium•1 November 2026•
4 min read

EU Approves Proposed Joint Takeover of Humain Amid Plans for 250-Megawatt Data Centers

Key Facts

1The realized value of Aramco’s AI technologies reached $2.6 billion in 2025.
2The financing framework announced in January 2026 set out up to $1.2 billion to develop capacity of up to 250 megawatts; the terms are non-binding.
3Aramco identified 442 AI use cases as of late 2025, with more than 200 solutions deployed and more than 100 in development.
4Aramco and the fund announced a non-binding memorandum on October 28, 2025, for the purchase of a substantial minority stake, with the fund retaining majority ownership.

The European Commission has approved a proposed takeover that would give the Public Investment Fund and Aramco joint control of Humain, according to the Commission’s decision, which describes the transaction as the purchase of shares and assets. The decision does not specify Aramco’s stake in the company, nor does it confirm that the deal had closed as of November 1, 2026. The two parties announced a non-binding term sheet on October 28, 2025, for Aramco to acquire a substantial minority stake in Humain. The fund said at the time that it would retain majority ownership and that both parties would contribute AI assets, capabilities and talent. The regulatory approval advances the proposal beyond the initial announcement, but does not by itself mean the transfer of ownership has been completed.

Humain operates in areas including next-generation data centers, cloud services, AI models and advanced AI solutions, according to the fund’s description of the company. The proposed combination of the parties’ assets and capabilities would bring their investments and expertise into one company operating across multiple parts of the AI value chain. Aramco said its planned investment would support industrial AI applications and digital solutions. The company said the move is expected to strengthen its leadership in those areas, alongside AI infrastructure and national transformation. Neither the fund nor Aramco disclosed a final ownership percentage or a completion date in the cited materials.

Aramco already relies on a range of AI applications in its operations, saying the technology generated $2.6 billion in realized value during 2025. The company identified 442 AI use cases and said more than 200 solutions had been deployed, while more than 100 were under development as of late 2025. The figures provide context for the importance of industrial applications within the planned investment in Humain, according to Aramco’s stated objectives for it. The indicators combine value the company said it realized over a year with a portfolio of applications that includes deployed solutions and others still in development. Aramco did not link these figures in its announcement to a specific financial return from the proposed deal.

In January 2026, Humain and the National Infrastructure Fund announced a financing framework of up to $1.2 billion to develop hyperscale data centers with capacity of up to 250 megawatts. The fund described the framework as including non-binding financing terms, so it was not an announcement that the financing had been fully disbursed or that the capacity was operational. The project is also separate from the terms of the proposed Aramco deal and does not establish that it is part of the consideration or obligations associated with it. In December 2025, Saudi Telecom Company and Humain announced a joint venture to develop data-center infrastructure capable of hosting AI workloads of up to 1 gigawatt. These initiatives provide broader context for Humain’s expansion in digital infrastructure, while each financing framework or partnership remains subject to its own announcement and terms.

The fund announced Humain’s launch in May 2025 as a company it owns that operates and invests across the AI value chain. The October announcement of a memorandum of understanding with Aramco followed, confirming that the fund would retain majority ownership and that both parties would contribute assets, capabilities and talent. The European Commission’s decision marks regulatory progress on the joint-control proposal, describing the transaction as a purchase of shares and assets. But the decision does not settle the final ownership percentage or announce completion of the takeover, nor does it establish a deal-specific target to increase data-center capacity by 2030. The financing framework announced in January did not include a specified later date, while completion of the Aramco deal remains unconfirmed in the information available as of November 1, 2026.