This week, the United States reached a new milestone in its technology race and is now poised to push the boundaries of science and artificial intelligence. The Department of Energy (DoE) announced a $1 billion partnership with AMD, focused on developing two cutting-edge supercomputers. The systems, called Lux and Discovery, will be installed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in Tennessee.
What are the systems and the Department of Energy’s plan for this project?
Lux and Discovery are expected to accelerate research in energy, medicine, and national security. This initiative combines public and private resources, focusing on creating a sovereign AI infrastructure.
The first system, called Lux, will be the pioneer among supercomputers dedicated to artificial intelligence in the United States. It was developed in partnership with the Department of Energy, AMD, Oracle, and HPE and will be deployed in 2026, aiming to serve as the country’s first “AI factory.”
In addition to being a major powerhouse, Lux represents a new opportunity for collaboration between the government and the private sector. AMD will provide the hardware and software platform, while ORNL will be responsible for the entire energy and research infrastructure. Together, the two companies aim to transform scientific and medical innovation. According to Energy Secretary Chris Wright, the system will help boost sectors such as biotechnology, advanced manufacturing, and clean energy.
Discovery: The leap to the next generation
The system called Discovery is scheduled to become operational only in 2029, but it is already expected to be the next great leap in American supercomputing. It features AMD EPYC “Venice” processors and Instinct MI430X accelerators, and is therefore expected to achieve unprecedented levels of energy efficiency. The focus of this system is to unite AI and scientific computing in order to solve challenges such as the design of nuclear reactors or the development of new drugs.
The idea is that this system will be the direct successor to Frontier, which is currently one of the fastest supercomputers in the world. The entire “Bandwidth Everywhere” structure of Discovery will allow the system to process large volumes of data without compromising its energy consumption.
Partnerships between the companies and their strategic impact
The collaboration between the DoE, AMD, Oracle, and HPE demonstrates how public-private alliances have already generated concrete advances in technology and innovation. For AMD CEO Lisa Su, undertaking this project together is “an example of the power of the union between science and industry.” Antonio Neri, from HPE, emphasized that the new supercomputers mark “the beginning of an era in which AI and HPC go hand in hand.”
The idea behind this project is that these supercomputers will strengthen the digital sovereignty of the United States, as the entire infrastructure is built with domestic technology. This is positive for the country, as it reduces dependence on foreign suppliers, in addition to protecting strategic national data, especially those related to sensitive areas such as defense and public health.
What can we expect from the technological future of the US?
This project will have a significant economic impact. It is expected to generate jobs, regional investment, and training programs in science. Experts in the field say that Lux and Discovery have the potential to make the US an innovation hub for AI applied to science and energy.
The US Department of Energy is making a major investment in technology. The partnership with AMD is already a strategic milestone in innovation, and by combining AI and supercomputing, the country aims to respond to global challenges related to technology. A project like this demonstrates that science and industry can work together and puts the US a step ahead in the global race for artificial intelligence.