New exascale computer
Keeping up with the US and China
A look between the rows of JUPITER racks. Picture: Forschungszentrum Jülich / Sascha Kreklau
One of the world's fastest computers is going into operation at the Forschungszentzrum Jülich. In this interview, CEO Astrid Lambrecht discusses the computer's astonishing speed, its practical applications in research, and how it will help Europe catch up in the field of artificial intelligence.
Ms. Lambrecht, your new supercomputer is the fastest in Europe. While that sounds impressive, what specific changes will it bring to research in Jülich?
JUPITER is not only a record-holder, but also an accelerator for science. For the first time, Europe will have exascale computing power at its disposal, capable of performing more than a trillion calculations per second. JUPITER will allow researchers in Jülich, the Helmholtz Association, and beyond to implement their scientific ideas faster, more accurately, and more comprehensively. Artificial intelligence and data-intensive applications in particular will benefit from JUPITER.
What specific projects will benefit from JUPITER?
Numerous applications have already been submitted, including those in climate, materials, and energy research and physics. For instance, the goal is to enhance the precision of climate and weather simulations, particularly in regard to localized extreme weather events, such as heavy rainfall and heat waves. Another goal is to create realistic simulations for optimizing wind power plants and hydrogen turbines. In medicine, entirely new perspectives are opening up in the development of new active ingredients and personalized therapies. For example, in biomedicine, we simulate molecules for future drugs. Additionally, major European initiatives now have the opportunity to train their own large language models for the first time with JUPITER.
You personally value interdisciplinary research. Will JUPITER help link different disciplines? Which areas of research will benefit?
Absolutely. JUPITER is a common engine for many disciplines. Climate scientists, materials researchers, medical professionals, and computer scientists all use this infrastructure to exchange methods and data. This accelerates the emergence of new ideas and innovations at the interfaces between disciplines. In particular, the major societal challenges—energy transition, climate protection, and health—can only be solved through interdisciplinary approaches. JUPITER provides the necessary platform for this.
But what does exascale status actually mean?
It means that a computer can perform more than a trillion, or 10 to the 18th power, calculations per second — an enormous technical challenge. This gives JUPITER a whole new level of computing power. So far, only three supercomputers in the US have officially achieved this worldwide. I am especially proud that we implemented such a system at the Jülich Supercomputing Center of Forschungszentrum Jülich in less than two years. It's not just a number; exascale opens the door to solving problems that were previously unsolvable, even for supercomputers.
In Jülich, JUPITER, a conventional supercomputer, now stands alongside one of the world's most powerful quantum computers. They operate on completely different principles. Does having both systems located right next to each other in Jülich offer any advantages?
Since August 2023, Astrid Lambrecht has been the Chair of the Board of Directors at Forschungszentrum Jülich. Her research specializes in quantum physics. She studied physics in Essen and London and obtained her doctorate in 1995 from the Laboratoire Kastler Brossel (LKB) research institute in Paris. In 2002, she qualified as a professor at Pierre and Marie Curie University, also in Paris.. Picture: Forschungszentrum Jülich / Sascha Kreklau
Yes, and this is unique worldwide. Classic supercomputers and quantum computers complement each other rather than competing with each other. Supercomputers reliably perform calculations using familiar binary code. Quantum computers, on the other hand, exploit the unique properties of quantum mechanics. Their quantum bits can exist in many states simultaneously. This means that a quantum computer can process a very large number of tasks simultaneously, rather than sequentially as a classical computer does. However, this technology still requires a great deal of research. In Jülich, we are working on combining the advantages of both in a hybrid ecosystem.
In particular, the development of artificial intelligence could benefit from JUPITER. How exactly?
JUPITER is one of the world's fastest computers for AI. For the first time, Germany and Europe will be able to independently train the largest AI models — a capability that has only existed in the US or China until now. This is crucial for Europe because we want to develop our own large language and AI models that incorporate our values and standards. JUPITER provides the computing power necessary to achieve data and model sovereignty.
Jülich will also become home to an AI factory: the JUPITER AI Factory. What exactly is that, and how will JUPITER help?
JAIF is a new infrastructure that we are building with partners in Europe. It is designed to enable companies to train large AI models. JUPITER is practically the heart of JAIF. Along with JAIF, JUPITER can be used by start-ups, small and medium-sized enterprises, and industry beyond research and the public sector. In this context, JUPITER will expand to include an additional module for inference applications. The cloud platform, which will be procured as part of JAIF, complements the JUPITER infrastructure, enabling the fast and efficient use of trained AI models in practical applications.
Despite JUPITER's many achievements, the world's fastest computers are still located in the US. Nevertheless, can JUPITER strengthen Europe's position in the global competition in the field of AI?
View of the roof of the Modular Data Center with cooling systems. Picture: Forschungszentrum Jülich / Sascha Kreklau
Absolutely. It's not just about who has the highest computing power. The important thing is that JUPITER gives Europe the opportunity to compete with the US and China on an equal footing for the first time. We are building an infrastructure that enables our researchers and businesses to develop their own models and technologies. This will strengthen Europe's competitiveness and independence. JUPITER is therefore a decisive step toward technological sovereignty.
Now, let's take a closer look at this collaboration with industry. How is the scarce computing time allocated?
As with all large European supercomputers, computing time on JUPITER is allocated through a scientific review process. Companies can apply in the same way as universities or research institutes; however, their projects must be innovative, and their results must be published, as is the case in public research. Through the JUPITER AI Factory, we ensure that resources are used responsibly and provide the greatest possible benefit to science, industry, and society.
Given the rapid development of technology, how long will JUPITER remain at the top?
Supercomputing developments are extremely dynamic — performance is growing faster than in everyday devices, such as notebooks or smartphones. On average, a supercomputer is replaced after about five years. However, JUPITER has a modular design and can continuously adapt to new technologies. Only time will tell how long it will remain number one in Europe. The important thing is that we have created an infrastructure in Europe that enables cutting-edge research and technological innovation on a permanent basis.
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