Luma AI, a leading artificial intelligence company, has announced a significant expansion into the Middle East with the opening of a new office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This strategic move is complemented by a major partnership with Publicis Groupe Middle East to advance AI-driven advertising in the region. The new hub will accelerate the development of culturally relevant AI and support the HUMAIN Create platform.
A Hub for Arabic AI Development
The new Riyadh office is set to become a central hub for Luma AI's regional operations, focusing on client engagement and advanced AI research. It will play a crucial role in deepening the company's collaboration with HUMAIN, a PIF-owned AI firm. This facility will support the ongoing development of the world's first Saudi-built, Arabic-native foundation model for generative AI.
Through the HUMAIN Create platform, Luma AI's models will be trained on extensive Arabic language and regional data sets. This initiative aims to empower creators and organizations by providing AI systems that genuinely reflect local culture, language, and creative contexts. The collaboration is further supported by Project Halo, a large-scale AI supercluster being developed in Saudi Arabia to provide necessary compute power.
Commitment to Local Talent and Growth
As part of its expansion, Luma AI has committed to fostering local talent by hiring for various key positions within the new office. The company plans to recruit AI and software engineers, go-to-market leaders, and specialized creative and technical teams. These new hires will work directly with customers and partners across Saudi Arabia and the wider MENA region.
Amit Jain, CEO and Co-Founder of Luma AI, highlighted the Kingdom's ambitious and technically skilled workforce as a key factor in the decision. He stated that a local presence allows the company to work closely with the next generation of creators. This direct engagement ensures the development of AI that is deeply connected to the region it is designed to serve.
Transforming Creativity in Advertising
In a parallel announcement, Luma AI revealed a strategic partnership with Publicis Groupe Middle East, positioning itself as the preferred generative AI technology partner. This collaboration, facilitated with HUMAIN, will integrate Luma's advanced generative video and multimodal AI into creative workflows. The partnership aims to redefine advertising production across Saudi Arabia and the broader MENA region.
The integration will enable brands to produce faster, more personalized, and culturally resonant advertising campaigns across various markets and channels. By embedding generative AI at the core of the creative process, the partnership seeks to unlock new levels of speed, scale, and ambition. This move signals a significant shift in how advertising content is conceived and delivered in the region.
Leadership from both companies emphasized the transformative potential of this alliance. Bassel Kakish, CEO of Publicis Groupe Middle East & Turkey, noted that AI is now central to creativity, not an add-on. Jason Day, Head of EMEA at Luma AI, added that this convergence of creativity, intelligence, and production will help brands build AI systems that truly understand the region.
Luma AI's establishment in Riyadh and its partnership with Publicis Groupe mark a pivotal moment for the Middle East's technology and creative sectors. The initiative promises to accelerate the development of sophisticated, culturally fluent Arabic AI while revolutionizing the advertising industry. This strategic expansion solidifies Saudi Arabia's growing reputation as a global hub for artificial intelligence innovation and talent development.