Japan’s AI powerhouse leapfrogs with ABCI 3.0 — A game changer in global tech!

Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) has announced a significant enhancement to its AI Bridging Cloud Infrastructure (ABCI 3.0), incorporating thousands of NVIDIA H200 Tensor Core GPUs and leveraging HPE Cray XD systems for groundbreaking computational performance. This initiative, bolstered by NVIDIA Quantum-2 InfiniBand networking, signifies Japan’s strategic advancement in AI sovereignty and its commitment to leading global innovation.

AIST, together with Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) and NVIDIA, is driving the third upgrade of Japan’s premier AI research facility, focusing on developing generative AI and other cutting-edge technologies. The collaboration reflects a concerted effort to enhance Japan’s research capabilities to global leadership status, as stated by Yoshio Tanaka, AIST Executive Officer, “This upgrade to ABCI 3.0 is a cornerstone in advancing our generative AI research, in partnership with NVIDIA and HPE.”

The ABCI 3.0 system, expected to be operational by year-end, promises unmatched AI-specific computational power with 6 AI exaflops and 410 double-precision petaflops, setting a new standard in high-performance computing (HPC). This tremendous capability is aimed at advancing large language models (LLMs) and generative AI, pivotal for industries ranging from robotics to quantum computing.

Japan’s ABCI 3.0 supercomputer is setting new global standards in AI research with NVIDIA and HPE, driving the next wave of technological innovation.

The integration of NVIDIA H200 GPUs, the first to offer over 140 gigabytes of HBM3e memory, marks a significant leap in processing power and efficiency. These GPUs are engineered for energy efficiency, providing 15X the energy efficiency over previous generations for AI workloads, crucial for sustainable technological advancement. The NVIDIA Quantum-2 InfiniBand networking further ensures efficient, high-speed data handling essential for complex AI computations.

Supported by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) through the Economic Security Fund, this initiative is part of a broader $1 billion investment in technology to bolster Japan’s economic and technological stature on the global stage. Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA, emphasized during his visit to Japan, “The AI factory will become the bedrock of modern economies,” highlighting the strategic importance of high-density data centers like ABCI in transforming data into actionable intelligence.

With ABCI 3.0, Japan not only reinforces its capability in AI research but also sets a benchmark for global AI development, positioning itself as a pivotal player in the international arena. This development is expected to attract further collaborations, drive innovations in AI and computing, and significantly reduce the time and costs associated with advancing AI technologies.