Key Takeaways
1. The US Department of Energy and partners are investing about $1 billion to build two new supercomputers: Lux and Discovery.
2. AMD will provide processors and AI technology, while HPE will supply the server framework, with Oracle and ORNL handling software and integration.
3. The first supercomputer, Lux, is expected to be completed in six months and will deliver three times the AI performance of current DOE supercomputers.
4. The second supercomputer, Discovery, will combine traditional high-performance computing with AI and is set to be delivered in 2028 and go live in 2029.
5. These supercomputers aim to enhance research in nuclear energy, drug discovery, and national security, with goals to simulate fusion reactions and treat terminal cancers within a few years.
The US Department of Energy (DOE), along with AMD, Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), Oracle, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), has revealed plans to build two new supercomputers. The total cost of the initiative is about $1 billion. AMD will provide the processors, AI accelerators, and network chips, while HPE will supply the server framework. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure and ORNL will take care of the software and integration of research. This project is funded as a public-private partnership, and the computing capabilities will be shared among the partners.
First Supercomputer: Lux
The first machine, known as “Lux”, is set to be finished in just six months. AMD’s CEO, Lisa Su, stated that this represents “the fastest implementation of a system of this magnitude we’ve ever seen”. The system will be driven by AMD MI355X accelerators and specially designed CPUs, and it is anticipated to deliver three times the AI performance compared to existing DOE supercomputers.
Second Supercomputer: Discovery
The second machine, named “Discovery”, is planned as a follow-up and will use AMD’s new MI430 AI chips from the upcoming MI400 series. It will merge traditional high-performance computing (HPC) with cutting-edge AI features. Discovery is expected to be delivered in 2028 and will go live in 2029.
The DOE has stated that these supercomputers aim to “supercharge” research in areas like nuclear and fusion energy, drug discovery, and national security. The long-term ambition is to realistically simulate fusion reactions within two to three years, which would greatly speed up the development of functional fusion reactors and lead to nearly limitless clean energy. Additionally, many currently terminal cancers are projected to become treatable in five to eight years.
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