DOE and AMD Team Up to Develop Advanced Supercomputers for AI and HPC

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) have announced a $1 billion partnership to develop two advanced supercomputers, Lux and Discovery, at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). This collaboration aims to enhance America's capabilities in artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing (HPC).

Lux, scheduled for deployment in early 2026, will serve as the nation's first dedicated AI factory for science, energy, and national security. It will utilize AMD Instinct™ MI355X GPUs, AMD EPYC™ CPUs, and AMD Pensando™ advanced networking technologies. Discovery, expected to be operational in 2028, will feature next-generation AMD EPYC "Venice" processors and AMD Instinct MI430X GPUs, aiming to significantly surpass the performance of current systems like Frontier.

This partnership represents a new public-private collaboration model, with both DOE and AMD co-investing to accelerate the deployment of supercomputing resources. The initiative is designed to support critical national priorities, including advancements in energy research, materials science, medicine, and national security.

Dr. Lisa Su, Chair and CEO of AMD, stated, "We are proud and honored to partner with the Department of Energy and Oak Ridge National Laboratory to accelerate America’s foundation for science and innovation." Antonio Neri, President and CEO of HPE, added, "Together, we will continue to strengthen U.S. national leadership in the era of AI and accelerate scientific breakthroughs and innovation with Discovery and Lux." Stephen Streiffer, ORNL Director, commented, "The Discovery and Lux systems will drive scientific innovation faster and farther than ever before."

ORNL has a history of deploying flagship supercomputers, including Jaguar, Titan, Summit, and Frontier, each recognized as the world's fastest system of its time. Discovery and Lux continue this legacy, aiming to set new benchmarks in AI and HPC.

The deployment of Lux and Discovery is expected to accelerate scientific discoveries in various fields, including energy, medicine, and national security. By enhancing computational capabilities, these supercomputers will enable researchers to tackle complex problems more efficiently, potentially leading to breakthroughs that can benefit society at large.