UK invests $273 million in AI supercomputer as it seeks to compete with U.S., China
Summary
The U.K. government said that Isambard-AI will be the most advanced computer in Britain and that, once complete, it will be "10 times faster than the U.K.s current quickest machine." Hewlett Packard Enterprise , the American IT giant, will help build the computer, with aims to eventually connect it to a newly announced Cambridge supercomputer called "Dawn." The U.K. government hopes that the two combined supercomputers will achieve breakthroughs in fusion energy, health care and climate modelling. The machines will be up and running starting in summer 2024, the government said, and will help researchers analyze advanced AI models to test safety features and drive breakthroughs in drug discovery and clean energy. The government previously earmarked £1 billion to invest in the semiconductor industry, in an attempt to secure the countrys chip supplies and reduce its dependence on East Asia for the most commercially important microchips.