Work is underway in Europe to expand one of the continent's largest supercomputers. EuroHPC – the European initiative for developing high-performance computing – has signed a contract with a consortium led by Eviden (formerly Atos Technologies) and Telefónica. The project's goal is to add specialized artificial intelligence capabilities to the MareNostrum 5 supercomputer.
Что такое суперкомпьютер MareNostrum 5?
What is MareNostrum 5? 🖥️
MareNostrum 5 is a supercomputer hosted at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center. The machine is part of the European network of high-performance computing systems and is used for a wide range of tasks, from climate modeling to research in medicine and materials science.
Simply put, supercomputers of this class are needed where standard servers just can't cope. They process massive datasets and calculate complex models and simulations that require millions of operations per second.
Зачем расширять возможности ИИ?
Why Expand AI Capabilities?
Classic supercomputers handle traditional scientific calculations well, but tasks involving machine learning and neural networks often require specialized hardware. Training large models, processing data using neural networks, and AI-based modeling are all performed more efficiently on architectures explicitly tailored to such workloads.
That is precisely why, under this contract, MareNostrum 5 will receive additional computing power focused on artificial intelligence. Essentially, this means installing new accelerators and components that will allow the system to execute operations typical of AI tasks much faster.
Участники проекта по расширению MareNostrum 5
Who is Involved in the Project?
The contract was signed with a consortium led by two companies. Eviden (formerly Atos Technologies) is a provider of high-performance computing solutions, while Telefónica is a major telecommunications company with experience in digital infrastructure.
Bringing these participants together combines expertise in computing hardware with experience in building complex technological platforms. Funding and organizational support are provided by EuroHPC, a joint initiative of the European Union and European countries aimed at developing their own high-performance systems.
Что расширение AI означает для исследователей
What This Means for Researchers
Expanding the AI capabilities of MareNostrum 5 will open new horizons for scientific groups and laboratories working with big data and neural network models. For example, this could accelerate drug discovery, improve weather forecasting, and assist in genome research or the modeling of physical processes.
In short, access to powerful AI infrastructure within the European scientific network will allow researchers to test hypotheses faster, train more complex models, and solve problems that were previously too resource-intensive.
Европейская стратегия технологической независимости
The European Strategy for Technological Independence
This contract is part of Europe's broader strategy to develop its own computing power. In recent years, the EU has been actively investing in supercomputers and digital infrastructure, aiming to reduce dependence on technologies from other regions.
MareNostrum 5 is one of the flagship projects in this area. Its modernization shows that Europe is not just maintaining existing systems but adapting them to modern challenges, including those related to artificial intelligence.
Следующие шаги после подписания контракта
What Comes Next?
Now that the contract is signed, the project implementation phase begins. The consortium will start installing and integrating the new equipment. Exact completion dates have not been disclosed, but such projects usually span several stages – from component delivery to testing and operational launch.
Once the system is fully deployed, researchers from various European countries will be able to access the upgraded capacity through EuroHPC programs. This is an important step in developing European scientific infrastructure and strengthening the region's position in high-performance computing and artificial intelligence.