Saudi Arabia’s AI company Humain has established a new division, Humain Create, focused on media, video games, and advertising applications. Announced by Chief Strategy Officer Steve Plimsoll at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, the unit will collaborate with Luma AI, a startup specializing in generative AI models for media production.
Humain Create aims to develop AI tools capable of generating photorealistic images and videos tailored for gaming, marketing, and other creative industries. Owned by the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), Humain was founded in May as part of the Kingdom’s strategic AI push under Vision 2030.
Saudi Arabia projects AI will contribute $135.2 billion to its economy by 2030—about 12.4% of GDP—targeting sectors with high commercial adoption potential like media production. The move into photorealistic AI supports technological sovereignty and positions Saudi Arabia to capture a significant share of the Middle East’s $320 billion AI market opportunity.
Gaming stands out as a key vertical for Saudi Arabia, supported by a $38 billion investment to develop gaming and esports infrastructure. The domestic gaming market is valued at $1 billion, with over 23 million active gamers, making it an ideal platform for AI-driven innovations. The kingdom plans to foster 250 gaming companies and create 39,000 jobs in this sector by 2030.
