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UK invests R$1,7 billion in powerful supercomputer to challenge US and Chinese dominance in drug discovery

Published 22/01/2025 às 19:29
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The UK has announced a R$1,7 billion investment in an advanced supercomputer to speed up drug discovery.

In a bold move to drive innovation and economic growth, the United Kingdom invested £225 (about R$1,6 billion) in development do Isambard-AI. This will be the fastest supercomputer in the country, designed to revolutionize the discovery of new drugs and vaccines with the use of artificial intelligence (AI).

The supercomputer is already in operation and promises to bring significant advances in the health sector, according to a report by with the BBC.

The UK's commitment to AI

AI has dominated the headlines in recent years, with the US and China leading the way in innovation. The UK, on ​​the other hand, has taken a more cautious approach.

However, with the economy in decline and the pound losing value, the government decided to explore the potential of AI to turn this situation around.

An action plan with 50 recommendations was created, and one of the main initiatives is the advanced infrastructure represented by Isambard-AI.

Isambard-AI Supercomputer

Isambard-AI is based at the National Composites Centre in Bristol. The Isambard project has a rich history and its third iteration, launched in 2016, was the world’s first supercomputer based on the Arm architecture.

The new version, Isambard 3, uses NVIDIA's Grace chips, which are aimed at research into clean energy and sustainability.

The latest evolution of the project, Isambard-AI, starting in 2024, aims to provide a powerful platform for UK researchers and industry.

With a capacity 10 times greater than the country's current supercomputers, it is among the 10 most powerful in the world. And its expansion is already underway.

Applying AI to healthcare

The supercomputer is already being used to develop vaccines against diseases such as Alzheimer's and dementia, and also to improve the detection of cancers such as melanoma. With the help of AI, these processes can be even more efficient.

Simon McKintosh-Smith, professor of advanced computing at the University of Bristol, highlighted that AI can simulate the behavior of drugs inside the human body at a molecular level.

Currently, scientists use their knowledge to formulate hypotheses about how drugs interact with proteins in the body, but this is a slow and expensive process.

Isambard-AI can test millions of combinations virtually, saving time and resources. A breakthrough resulting from this technology could save millions of lives.

Other uses of the supercomputer

It’s not just in healthcare that the Isambard-AI supercomputer will make a difference. It could also streamline public services in the UK.

Administrative processes can be accelerated, freeing up time for employees to focus on essential services.

AI could also be deployed across the country's vast network of surveillance cameras to identify potholes in roads that need repair. This way, infrastructure problems can be resolved more quickly and efficiently.

Energy efficiency and economic impact

With all this processing power, power consumption is a concern. Despite being designed to be efficient, Isambard-AI will still generate a significant amount of heat.

To minimize waste, this waste heat will be reused to heat local homes and businesses, promoting sustainability.

Since the project is funded by the government, the results of the research will be widely disseminated, unlike if it were conducted by a private company.

The government also hopes that Isambard-AI will drive job creation and new projects through AI Growth Zones, putting the UK on par with the US and China in developing cutting-edge technologies.

The UK is taking a decisive step forward in the race for leadership in artificial intelligence with Isambard-AI.

The supercomputer promises significant advances in drug discovery, public service efficiency and energy sustainability. The success of this project could reposition the UK on the global map of technological innovation.

With information from BBC.

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Fabio Lucas Carvalho

Journalist specializing in a wide range of topics, such as cars, technology, politics, shipbuilding, geopolitics, renewable energy and economics. I have been working since 2015 with prominent publications in major news portals. My degree in Information Technology Management from Faculdade de Petrolina (Facape) adds a unique technical perspective to my analyses and reports. With over 10 thousand articles published in renowned media outlets, I always seek to bring detailed information and relevant insights to the reader. For story suggestions or any questions, please contact me by email at flclucas@hotmail.com.

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