Norway is set to boost its AI research capabilities with a new state-of-the-art supercomputer. The 225 million NOK contract, awarded to Hewlett-Packard Norway AS (HPE), marks a significant step forward for the country’s research and innovation in artificial intelligence.
Minister of Research and Higher Education Oddmund Hoel emphasized the importance of this investment for Norway’s knowledge independence and national security. The supercomputer will provide the computing power necessary to keep pace in the global AI race, reducing reliance on foreign actors.
The new system, a Cray Supercomputing EX model, will feature 304 advanced NVIDIA GH200 GPUs, making it the most powerful in Norway’s history. This high-performance computing (HPC) capability will support data-driven research across various fields, including medicine, climate science, and language processing.
Gunnar Bøe, Managing Director of Sigma2, the state-owned company responsible for the national supercomputers, stressed the critical nature of this investment for Norway’s research future. The system will be accessible to researchers nationwide, regardless of their institution or field of study.
It is crucial that we invest in computing power and AI technology now to ensure that Norwegian research does not lag in the years to come. Access to advanced technology like this, and specialised competence to use it, will be essential for digital transformation in several sectors going forward.
Gunnar Bøe, Managing Director of Sigma2.
Sustainability is a key focus of the project. The supercomputer will be installed at the Lefdal Mine Datacenter on Norway’s West Coast, utilizing cold water from the nearby fjord for cooling. Despite its increased power, the new system is expected to reduce energy consumption by over 30% compared to previous generations.
The supercomputer is scheduled for installation in spring and summer 2025. This investment represents a crucial step in Norway’s commitment to advancing its AI research capabilities and maintaining competitiveness in the international scientific community. As Professor Stephan Oepen of the University of Oslo noted, this expanded GPU capacity is essential for developing large Norwegian language models and keeping pace with the rapidly evolving field of AI.
