The Norwegian Research Council recommends that Sigma2 should be the sole provider of supercomputing (HPC) infrastructure for research and public sectors in Norway. This recommendation is part of a report requested by the government to assess future computational needs.
The report suggests investing in supercomputing to enhance Norway's competitiveness, particularly in research and artificial intelligence (AI). This investment aligns with the government's AI initiatives and aims to provide research environments with the necessary computational power to drive innovation and address complex societal challenges.
This investment will significantly enhance Norway's position as a knowledge nation, promote innovation, and help solve complex societal challenges. Public entities will benefit from increased security, efficiency, and better decision support in service delivery.
Marit Sundli Tveit, CEO of the Research Council
The new infrastructure will benefit not only research but also public sectors like defence, police, healthcare, and customs, improving critical and other services.
The report confirms a rapidly growing need for supercomputing across research, public administration, and industry. The total recommended investment is 3.4 billion NOK, 800 million more than previously estimated.
The report advocates for a single provider, Sigma2, to manage supercomputing needs across sectors. This approach is expected to cause significant economic benefits, enhance security, efficiency, and decision-making support, and promote cross-sector collaboration.
The Research Council's study emphasises that a robust and flexible supercomputing infrastructure will strengthen Norway's position as a knowledge nation and technological leader.
For more details, you can read the full report on the Research Council's website.