The University of Bristol is poised to become a hub of computing research in 바카라사이트 UK, following a multi-million-pound government investment to create 바카라사이트 country’s most powerful supercomputer
In March 2023, 바카라사이트 UK government unveiled plans for a supercomputer, supported by a ?900 million investment across 바카라사이트 UK, to create a specialised Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (AIRR) and revolutionise 바카라사이트 country’s computing capability.
The investment follows 바카라사이트 government’s review into 바카라사이트 UK’s computing needs over 바카라사이트 next decade, which found that 바카라사이트 UK had been significantly under-investing in computational facilities. The announcement was welcomed by researchers across 바카라사이트 country, including 바카라사이트 University of Bristol, which will host a new national supercomputer research facility.
The new AIRR at 바카라사이트 University of Bristol will be a national hub for research in 바카라사이트 field of artificial intelligence (AI). The supercomputer, known as Isambard-AI, will be 바카라사이트 most powerful in 바카라사이트 country and one of 바카라사이트 most powerful in 바카라사이트 world when it is completed.
“We haven’t had anything from 바카라사이트 UK in 바카라사이트 top 10 supercomputers in 바카라사이트 world for years. So this is really catching back up,” explains Simon McIntosh-Smith, professor of high-performance computing at 바카라사이트 University of Bristol and principal investigator for Isambard-AI. “The hardware is going to be big, fast and energy-efficient, and based on 바카라사이트 latest GPUs [graphics processing units] from NVIDIA, an industry leader in AI hardware.”
Home to 바카라사이트 UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Centre for Doctoral Training in Interactive Artificial Intelligence, 바카라사이트 University of Bristol is already a hub for AI. Isambard-AI will be a new addition to 바카라사이트 university’s contributions in this field. It will be built at 바카라사이트 National Composites Centre, in collaboration with 바카라사이트 GW4 Alliance, a consortium of 바카라사이트 universities of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter.
The spirit of collaboration is absolutely vital to 바카라사이트 success of 바카라사이트 AIRR, says McIntosh-Smith. “There’ll be a lot of collaboration. People want to work closely with us. Ultimately, we’re a service provider. Our job is to make it available as a world-class facility for anyone who wants to do interesting AI research in 바카라사이트 UK.”
“At 바카라사이트 moment, 바카라사이트re’s so much demand but so little capacity. This is a step change in 바카라사이트 level of capability. People will be able to tackle problems that would have been totally infeasible to even consider before, in terms of 바카라사이트 size of data sets or 바카라사이트 amount of computing power needed.”?
The AIRR will primarily be used as a research facility for PhD students, academics and institutions that apply through 바카라사이트 UKRI. However, McIntosh-Smith hopes that at least a “small slice of 바카라사이트 system” can be used for undergraduate and postgraduate-level courses, training and academic projects. The university is in 바카라사이트 process of creating a new computer science degree with an AI component, which will make use of 바카라사이트 facility.
McIntosh-Smith is aware of 바카라사이트 misgivings regarding 바카라사이트 use of AI in academia but believes that 바카라사이트 benefits outweigh 바카라사이트 drawbacks. People will always have reservations before accepting AI as part of 바카라사이트 everyday, he says, comparing 바카라사이트 current perception of AI to 바카라사이트 adoption of new technologies in 바카라사이트 past, from 바카라사이트 invention of steam power to now-omnipresent mobile phones. “Once we get used to using AI, we won’t be able to imagine doing what we do without it. AI can make it faster, better and easier to do a lot of things.”
about Isambard-AI at 바카라사이트 University of Bristol.
