Japan to build world's first zetta-class supercomputer

Science Alert features that the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT) in Japan announced exciting developments for the country's supercomputing capabilities.

Japan currently boasts one of the fastest supercomputers in the world, the Fugaku rig. However, scientists are preparing for a significant upgrade in the coming years with the development of the Fugaku Next supercomputer, which is expected to be approximately a thousand times faster than existing systems.

This new machine will be the first of its kind to reach 'zetta-class' status, achieving speeds at the zettaFLOPS level, which is the next milestone beyond the current exaFLOPS capacity. FLOPS, or floating-point operations per second, measure a system's ability to perform calculations and solve complex problems.

Recently, the Frontier supercomputer in the US showcased a processor speed of 1.1 exaFLOPS, equating to 1.1 quintillion floating-point operations per second (a quintillion being 1 followed by 18 zeros). Multiply that by 1,000, and you arrive at a sextillion FLOPS (1 followed by 21 zeros), or a zettaFLOP. The Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT) has approved the construction of this new supercomputer, which is set to begin in 2025. 

The goal is to have Fugaku Next operational by 2030, supported by government funding of 110 billion Japanese Yen (approximately $780 million). Initially, the new supercomputer will take over some tasks from the current Fugaku, leveraging its significantly enhanced processing capabilities.

The official project details released by MEXT highlight the significant role of artificial intelligence in the upcoming Fugaku Next supercomputer. Performing AI calculations, particularly with generative AI tools like ChatGPT, is known to be highly resource-intensive, making it a key area where Fugaku Next is expected to excel. 

Supercomputers have consistently proven invaluable to scientists, aiding in the simulation of black holes, the discovery of new materials, modeling Earth’s future, and exploring fundamental mathematical concepts. As these machines grow in power, their capabilities are likely to expand as well. Unlike quantum computers, supercomputers share similarities with the desktops and laptops we use daily—they are simply scaled up to an extraordinary degree. 

They still rely on processors, memory, and storage, but at a much larger scale. As illustrated by previous examples, supercomputers are particularly effective in simulations that involve numerous variables, such as weather patterns or deep space exploration. An upgraded zetta-class supercomputer could process more data at a faster rate, yielding results that are more detailed, accurate, and comprehensive. If all goes as planned, we can expect a new standard for supercomputers within the next six years.

By Naila Huseynova