Edinburgh has been selected to host a next-generation compute system, an exascale facility, which is 50 times more powerful than the current top system. This system will aid in major advancements in AI, medical research, climate science, and clean energy innovation. The exascale system will be located at the University of Edinburgh and will support critical research into AI safety and development. The UK government’s Science, Innovation and Technology Secretary, Michelle Donelan, and UK Research and Innovation Chief Executive, Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser, have expressed support for the project. This follows the recent announcement of an AI supercomputer in Bristol.
Edinburgh to Host Powerful Next-Generation Compute System
Edinburgh has been selected as the preferred location for a next-generation compute system, one of the fastest in the world. This system has the potential to revolutionise breakthroughs in artificial intelligence (AI), medicine, and clean low-carbon energy. The UK government continues to invest in the country’s computing capacity, which is crucial for modern economies and advanced scientific research.
Exascale is the upcoming frontier in computing power, where systems are designed to perform extremely complex functions with increased speed and precision. This allows researchers to accelerate their work into some of the most pressing challenges we face, including the development of new drugs, and advances in nuclear fusion to produce potentially limitless clean low-carbon energy.
The exascale system, to be hosted at the University of Edinburgh, will be able to handle these complex workloads while also supporting critical research into AI safety and development. The UK aims to safely harness AI’s potential to improve lives across the country.
Exascale System: A Leap in Computing Power
Computing power is measured in ‘flops’ – floating point operations – which means the number of arithmetic calculations that a computer can perform every second. The proposed exascale system will be 50 times more powerful than the current top-end system, ARCHER2, also located in Edinburgh.
This significant investment will create new high-skilled jobs in Edinburgh. The new national facility will greatly enhance the UK’s research, technology, and innovation capabilities, helping to boost economic growth, productivity, and prosperity across the country.
Government Investment in Computing Capacity
The UK government is funding the new exascale computer in Edinburgh as part of a £900 million investment to boost the UK’s computing capacity. This investment aims to support pioneering work into AI safety, life-saving drugs, and clean low-carbon energy. It is expected to drive economic growth, create high-skilled jobs, and unlock new discoveries that improve people’s lives.
Role of Advanced Computing in Research and Innovation
Advanced computing infrastructure is crucial to unlock advances in research and innovation. Applications range from drug design to energy security and extreme weather modelling, benefiting communities across the UK. This next phase of investment, located in Edinburgh, will help to keep the UK at the forefront of emerging technologies and facilitate the collaborations needed to explore and develop game-changing insights across disciplines.
Expansion of AI Research Resources
The announcement of the exascale system follows the news that Bristol will host a new AI supercomputer, named Isambard-AI. This will be one of the most powerful AI systems in Europe. The cluster will act as part of the national AI Research Resource (AIRR) to maximise the potential of AI and support critical work around the safe development and use of the technology.
Plans for both the exascale compute and the AIRR were first announced in March, as part of a £900 million investment to upgrade the UK’s next-generation compute capacity. This will deliver on two of the recommendations set out in the independent review into the Future of Compute.
“Science, Innovation and Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan said: If we want the UK to remain a global leader in scientific discovery and technological innovation, we need to power up the systems that make those breakthroughs possible. This new UK government funded exascale computer in Edinburgh will provide British researchers with an ultra-fast, versatile resource to support pioneering work into AI safety, life-saving drugs, and clean low-carbon energy. It is part of our £900 million investment in uplifting the UK’s computing capacity, helping us forge a stronger Union, drive economic growth, create the high-skilled jobs of the future and unlock bold new discoveries that improve people’s lives.”
“UK Research and Innovation Chief Executive Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser said: State-of-the-art compute infrastructure is critical to unlock advances in research and innovation, with diverse applications from drug design through to energy security and extreme weather modelling, benefiting communities across the UK. This next phase of investment, located at Edinburgh, will help to keep the UK at the forefront of emerging technologies and facilitate the collaborations needed to explore and develop game-changing insights across disciplines.”
“Secretary of State for Scotland, Alister Jack, said: We have already seen the vital work being carried out by ARCHER2 in Edinburgh and this new exascale system, backed by the UK government, will keep Scotland at the forefront of science and innovation. As well as supporting researchers in their critical work on AI safety this will bring highly skilled jobs to Edinburgh and support economic growth for the region.”
Quick Summary
Edinburgh has been selected to host a next-generation compute system, one of the world’s most powerful, which could revolutionise advancements in artificial intelligence, medicine, and clean energy. The exascale system, 50 times more powerful than the current top-end system, will support critical research into AI safety and development, and accelerate work on major challenges such as new drug development and nuclear fusion for clean energy.
- Edinburgh has been selected to host a next-generation compute system, which is expected to be 50 times more powerful than the current top-end system, ARCHER2.
- The new exascale system will be one of the world’s most powerful, aiding significant advances in artificial intelligence (AI), medical research, climate science, and clean energy innovation.
- The system will be hosted at the University of Edinburgh and is part of the UK government’s investment in the country’s computing capacity.
- The exascale system will support critical research into AI safety and development, and help address challenges such as new drug development and advances in nuclear fusion for clean low-carbon energy.
- The UK government’s Science, Innovation and Technology Secretary, Michelle Donelan, and UK Research and Innovation Chief Executive, Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser, have expressed support for the project.
- The investment will create new high-skilled jobs in Edinburgh and boost the UK’s research, technology, and innovation capabilities.
- The announcement follows news that Bristol will host a new AI supercomputer, Isambard-AI, as part of the national AI Research Resource (AIRR).
- The plans for the exascale compute and the AIRR were first announced in March, as part of a £900 million investment to upgrade the UK’s next-generation compute capacity.