Denmark Collaborates with NVIDIA to Establish AI Innovation Centre Featuring Advanced Supercomputer

Denmark is set to create a national AI innovation centre in collaboration with NVIDIA, aiming to host one of the most powerful AI supercomputers globally.

This initiative is driven by the ambition to propel research and innovation across various sectors, including healthcare, life sciences, and sustainability.

The Novo Nordisk Foundation and the Export and Investment Fund of Denmark (EIFO) are pushing this effort, providing researchers from both the public and private sectors in Denmark access to NVIDIA's advanced AI computing resources, software platforms, and expertise.

The partnership highlights the pivotal role of artificial intelligence in advancing scientific research and addressing complex societal challenges.

According to Mads Krogsgaard Thomsen, CEO of the Novo Nordisk Foundation, AI's capability to process vast amounts of data offers a unique opportunity to accelerate advancements in critical areas such as health and environmental science. The collaboration aims to leverage AI's potential to transform society positively by facilitating breakthroughs in drug discovery, disease diagnosis, and the tackling of life science challenges.

Morten Bødskov, Danish Minister of Industry, Business and Financial Affairs, emphasized the strategic importance of enhancing Denmark's technological leadership, especially in the context of the current geopolitical climate. Investing in advanced technologies, including supercomputing, is seen as crucial for Denmark to maintain its competitive edge internationally.

The supercomputer, named Gefion, will be delivered and set up by Eviden, part of the Atos Group and a leader in high-performance computing in Europe. It is expected to be operational for pilot projects by the end of 2024. The Danish Centre for AI Innovation, the entity that will house the supercomputer, is backed by significant investments from the Novo Nordisk Foundation and EIFO, totaling approximately DKK 700 million for initial expenses.

Gefion, based on the NVIDIA DGX SuperPOD system and powered by NVIDIA H100 Tensor Core GPUs, marks Denmark's first venture into GPU-accelerated supercomputing. This development is a crucial step in overcoming the challenges faced by Denmark's AI research ecosystem, which has been hindered by a lack of such advanced computing resources. The supercomputer will support a wide range of AI-driven projects and research efforts, including those focused on pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, green transition, and quantum computing.

Tim Costa, director of HPC and quantum computing at NVIDIA, highlighted the impact of AI and accelerated computing on scientific innovation. The Gefion supercomputer is poised to become a vital resource for Danish researchers, enabling significant progress in quantum computing, life sciences, and environmental science.

The Danish Centre for AI Innovation A/S, a public limited company established by the Foundation, will own and operate Gefion, with EIFO holding a minority stake. 

Digital Realty, a global data centre provider, will host Gefion in a sustainable, AI-ready facility in Denmark, running entirely on renewable energy and ensuring the highest levels of security and data sovereignty.

Topics: Emerging Technologies