Denmark has made unprecedented artificial intelligence (AI) computing power available to all citizens. The country has just turned on a national AI supercomputer. It is the most powerful in the territory and has more than 1,500 Nvidia processors. It will begin to be used this fall.
The King of Denmark, Frederick X, and the CEO of Nvidia, Jensen Huang, have inaugurated the AI supercomputer. The machine is financed by the non-profit foundation of Novo Nordisk, the pharmaceutical company that sells the weight loss drugs Ozempic or Wegovy, and by the Danish sovereign wealth fund (EIFO). The financial endowment has amounted to 80 million euros, as explained by the entities that have participated in separate communications.
The AI supercomputer is called Gefion, after a goddess from Norse mythology. This has 1,528 Nvidia graphics processors. Specifically, the H100 Tensor Core model, for which there is more demand than supply. The machine will be housed in a data center that runs on 100% renewable energy.
The Novo Nordisk Foundation has created a company, Danish Center for AI Innovation (DCAI), which will own the supercomputer and run operations. The Danish state has 15% of this company, through EIFO. The income from its activity will be reinvested in the project, which is non-profit.
The goal is for researchers to have access to the latest technology for their jobs. The idea is that it be used in pharmaceutical, biotechnological studies, in research for climate change or for the advancement of artificial intelligence, among other examples. In addition, the supercomputer will be available to innovative companies that have projects in these areas.
Denmark’s AI supercomputer is an example of how Countries are investing in this technology, allocating state resources, beyond the private sector. It seems that the Nordic country does not want to be left behind in public infrastructure for artificial intelligence.
“What country can afford not to have this infrastructure? Just as all countries have telecommunications, transportation, healthcare or other basic resources, the fundamental infrastructure of any country should be the production of intelligence,” said the CEO of Nvidia during the event. “Denmark is one of the few countries, which can be counted on the fingers of one hand, that has initiated this strategy,” he added.
Data center company Digital Realty will host the supercomputer in one of its facilities. At the same time, Atos Group will be in charge of installing and configuring the supercomputer. The first pilot projects will begin this fall.
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