HUMAIN unveils agentic AI PC built with Qualcomm at LEAP
Category: AI & Data
Published: 2026-08-31T19:10:04.000Z
Saudi AI company HUMAIN, backed by PIF, unveiled its first enterprise AI PC, the Horizon Ultra, at LEAP 2026. Developed in partnership with Qualcomm over 12 months, the device is powered by the Snapdragon X2 Elite platform and delivers up…
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Saudi artificial intelligence company HUMAIN, backed by the Public Investment Fund, has introduced its first enterprise-grade personal computer, the Horizon Ultra, at the LEAP 2026 technology conference. The device, developed over a 12-month period in collaboration with Qualcomm, marks a notable transition for the domestic technology sector. The introduction of this hardware indicates a strategic shift for Saudi Arabia, moving the nation from its traditional role as a consumer of imported computing technology toward the design and development of end-user hardware tailored for the artificial intelligence era. The Horizon Ultra is built around the Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite platform. This processor architecture enables the system to perform up to 80 trillion artificial intelligence operations per second locally. By handling intensive computational tasks directly on the device rather than relying exclusively on cloud infrastructure, the hardware addresses key enterprise concerns regarding data privacy, latency, and operational security. This capability is particularly relevant for corporate and government clients who require strict control over sensitive information while deploying advanced machine learning models in their daily workflows. The launch at LEAP 2026 reflects broader efforts to establish a domestic hardware ecosystem capable of supporting advanced computing requirements. The 12-month development cycle undertaken with Qualcomm demonstrates a focused approach to bringing competitive enterprise hardware to market. This initiative aligns with regional economic diversification goals, emphasizing the creation of intellectual property and high-value technology products within the Kingdom. The resulting device is positioned to compete in an enterprise sector that is increasingly prioritizing dedicated hardware for artificial intelligence applications. A central element of HUMAIN's strategy for the Horizon Ultra involves fundamentally rethinking the user interface. Rather than relying entirely on a conventional application-based operating environment, the system is designed to facilitate an "agentic AI" approach. This model focuses on understanding and executing user intent across multiple applications and services simultaneously, rather than requiring the user to manually navigate discrete software programs. The objective is to streamline complex enterprise workflows, allowing the machine to autonomously manage routine tasks and data processing based on high-level instructions. The hardware configuration, specifically the integration of the Snapdragon X2 Elite, provides the necessary local processing capacity to support this intent-driven interface. Executing an agentic operating model requires continuous, real-time analysis of user behavior and system context, which demands substantial computational resources. The ability to perform 80 trillion operations per second locally ensures that these background processes do not compromise overall system performance or require constant, high-bandwidth cloud connectivity. This localized processing approach is intended to provide a more responsive and secure user experience for enterprise clients. The development of this hardware and software combination represents a significant technical undertaking. Integrating an advanced processor with an operating system designed around artificial intelligence requires extensive optimization to balance performance, power consumption, and thermal management. The collaboration with Qualcomm has likely focused heavily on these integration challenges, ensuring that the Horizon Ultra can maintain high levels of performance during sustained computational workloads typical of enterprise environments. The resulting system is intended to provide a robust platform for organizations seeking to integrate artificial intelligence more deeply into their operational processes. HUMAIN has adopted a phased approach for the software ecosystem of the Horizon Ultra, expanding its strategic collaboration with Microsoft for the initial launch phase. When the device becomes available for enterprise purchase on September 20, 2026, it will operate on the Windows platform. This decision ensures immediate compatibility with existing corporate information technology infrastructure, allowing businesses to integrate the new hardware without disrupting their current software deployments or security protocols. Launching with a familiar operating system mitigates adoption friction for early enterprise customers. Following this initial phase, HUMAIN plans to transition the Horizon Ultra to its own proprietary agentic artificial intelligence operating system in 2027. This bespoke software infrastructure is being developed to fully exploit the hardware's capabilities and realize the company's vision of an intent-driven computing environment. Developing a new operating system presents substantial technical and commercial challenges, includ