The Research Council of Norway recommends investing 2.6 billion NOK in high-performance computing for research and artificial intelligence over the next five years in their recently published report "Behov for tungregnekraft for forskning og kunstig intelligens".
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The report evaluates the need for high-performance computing (HPC) resources in Norway, particularly for research and artificial intelligence (AI).
- Securing sufficient computational capacity is not just a necessity, it's a strategic choice for our nation. As we witness the exponential growth in AI research and the emergence of quantum computing, we at Sigma2 are committed to ensuring that Norway is not just keeping pace but leading the way. Having this capacity available is crucial for our research communities, both in academia and industry. Many aspects of our future depend on this, says Managing Director of Sigma2, Gunnar Bøe.
The Ministry of research and education commissioned the report in April 2024, and the evaluation includes assessing the current state and composition of HPC resources, forecasting future requirements over five years, and addressing the growing demands due to advancements in AI and the increasing volume of data.
Key recommendations
Here are some key recommendations from the council's report for meeting the rising demand for high-performance computing:
- Develop a phased investment plan over the next 5 years to meet the growing needs for research and AI.
- Allocate 10-20% of investments to AI-related via EuroHPC, considering cost-benefit and national security.
- Formulate a national strategy for quantum technology.
- Secure funding for critical services like weather forecasting and language models and ensure climate-friendly investments.
- Improve coordination of national computing resources for optimised capacity and crisis management.
- Foster competence in data usage, AI, and high-performance computing, especially in SMEs and startups, and invest in data management infrastructure.
- Build expertise in legal and regulatory aspects of data usage.
- Encourage collaboration between local, national, and international computing resources for better capacity utilisation.
The report also highlights the importance of having HPC and AI resources located in Norway for reasons of security, preparedness, and building competence and expertise. The continuation of our National Competence Centre for HPC is also proposed, which is good news for Industry, SMEs and public administration.
Sigma2 is ready to play its part in implementing these recommendations and contributing to Norway's competitive edge in research and AI.