London
CNN
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The proprietor of Novo Nordisk, the drugmaker that gave the world Ozempic and Wegovy, is funding a brand new supercomputer powered by Nvidia’s synthetic intelligence expertise with a key intention of discovering new medicines and coverings.
The Novo Nordisk Basis has awarded France’s Eviden a contract to construct what the computing firm says might be one of many world’s strongest supercomputers, capable of course of huge quantities of knowledge utilizing AI.
It ought to present “unprecedented potential to speed up groundbreaking scientific discoveries in areas akin to drug discovery, illness analysis and therapy,” Cédric Bourrasset, Eviden’s head of quantum computing, stated in a statement.
The supercomputer is anticipated to be prepared for pilot initiatives earlier than the top of the 12 months and might be housed in Denmark’s nationwide middle for AI innovation.
Named Gefion, the supercomputer might be accessible to be used by researchers from Denmark’s private and non-private sectors, and can benefit from the backing of two of the most well liked corporations in america and Europe.
Nvidia is now one of many largest corporations on the US inventory market, valued at $2.21 trillion. The brand new supercomputer will use Nvidia’s newest chip expertise.
The muse, in the meantime, has a controlling stake in Novo Nordisk (NVO), a company worth more than Tesla. Its enterprise is booming due to the widespread use of its diabetes drug Ozempic for weight reduction and the recognition of Wegovy, which incorporates the identical lively ingredient as Ozempic.
AI’s potential to hurry up scientific analysis was highlighted earlier this 12 months when Microsoft (MSFT) stated {that a} new battery materials had been discovered “in a matter of weeks, not years.”
The Pacific Northwest Nationwide Laboratory, a part of the US Division of Power, used a Microsoft system that features AI fashions and high-performance computing to winnow 32 million potential inorganic supplies to 18 promising candidates in lower than 4 days, Microsoft said in January.
Writing about its collaboration with Microsoft, the PNNL said on its web site: “Your complete course of, from receiving the simulated candidates by producing a functioning battery, took lower than 9 months, a blink of an eye fixed in contrast with conventional strategies.”