In a groundbreaking move for Europe's high-performance computing sector, AMD and Eviden have joined forces to develop Alice Recoque, a cutting-edge supercomputer. This ambitious endeavor is set to enhance Europe's capabilities in artificial intelligence, scientific research, and computing, with a strong focus on energy efficiency and technological sovereignty.
The Alice Recoque supercomputer will be equipped with advanced AMD EPYC CPUs and AMD Instinct MI430X GPUs, aiming to achieve over one exaflop of HPL performance. This project is a significant milestone for France, marking its first and Europe's second Exascale supercomputer. The initiative is led by the Grand équipement national de calcul intensif (GENCI) and managed by the Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA).
With funding from EuroHPC JU, the project involves a substantial investment of 544 million euros, supported by the Digital Europe Programme and the Jules Verne Consortium. This consortium, comprising France, the Netherlands' SURF, and Greece's GRNET, underscores a collaborative European effort to advance AI and high-performance computing technologies.
Dan McNamara, AMD's senior vice president, highlighted the project's importance in promoting European sovereign AI. He stated that the Alice Recoque supercomputer would merge national ambition with regional collaboration, leveraging AMD's state-of-the-art technologies to bolster Europe's scientific and industrial leadership.
Driving Europe's Digital Transformation
Emmanuel Le Roux from Eviden at Atos emphasized the project's pivotal role in shaping Europe's digital future. Alice Recoque is envisioned as a catalyst for breakthroughs across various domains, including climate modeling, healthcare, and AI innovation. This AI Factory reflects a unified European vision, aiming to empower researchers and industries continent-wide.
The supercomputer is set to tackle Europe's most pressing societal, scientific, and industrial challenges by integrating large-scale simulations, data analysis, and AI. It exemplifies Eviden and AMD's commitment to accelerating AI research and industrialization through significant investments in both human and technological resources.
Technological Innovations and Energy Efficiency
Featuring next-generation AMD EPYC CPUs, AMD Instinct MI430X GPUs, and AMD FPGAs, the Alice Recoque system will operate on Eviden's BullSequana XH3500 platform. This configuration is expected to advance climate modeling, material innovation, and personalized medicine, supporting the development of next-generation European AI models.
Notably, Alice Recoque will achieve Exascale performance with fewer resources and reduced energy consumption. With 25% fewer racks and components compared to other systems, and up to 50% improved energy efficiency per GPU, the architecture is designed to align with Europe's green computing objectives. The system's advanced AI data types and high memory bandwidth will enable it to deliver leading capacity and throughput per GPU.
Commitment to Sustainable Progress
Eviden's integrated hardware and software solutions, powered by AMD's technologies, promise to deliver top-tier computing power with enhanced energy efficiency. The system will incorporate real-time monitoring and energy optimization through Eviden's Argos software, and its 5th generation Direct Liquid Cooling technology will ensure sustainability on a large scale.
In summary, the Alice Recoque supercomputer represents a transformative advancement in Europe's digital and scientific landscape. By harnessing cutting-edge technologies and fostering regional collaboration, it aims to address critical challenges while promoting sustainable innovation and technological leadership.