NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang unveils multi-million supercomputer with 1,528 H100 AI GPUs in Denmark — six months after development began to unlock "the era of computer-aided drug discovery"

King Frederik X of Denmark (R), CEO and founder of Nvidia Jensen Huang (L), and CEO of the Danish Centre for AI Innovation A/S, Nadia Carlsten (C), symbolically switch on the new AI supercomputer named Gefion at the Vilhelm Lauritzen Terminal in Kastrup, Denmark, on October 23, 2024.
King Frederik X of Denmark (R), CEO and founder of Nvidia Jensen Huang (L), and CEO of the Danish Centre for AI Innovation A/S, Nadia Carlsten (C), symbolically switched on the new Gefion AI supercomputer on October 23, 2024.  (Image credit: Getty Images | MADS CLAUS RASMUSSEN)

What you need to know

  • NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang and King Frederik X of Denmark recently launched Gefion.
  • Gefion is an AI-powered supercomputer with 1,528 H100 AI GPUs to promote quantum computing and medical research.
  • The project reportedly took six months from announcement to completion, potentially placing Danish business enterprises in a better position to compete with international rivals.

Earlier this week, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang and King Frederik X of Denmark launched Gefion, — an AI supercomputer designed to promote quantum computing and medical research. For context, the supercomputer is based on NVIDIA's DGX SuperPOD AI data center infrastructure platform and leverages the power of 1,528 H100 AI GPUs to advance.

While launching the groundbreaking tech at an event in Copenhagen, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang indicated:

“Gefion is going to be a factory of intelligence. And this factory of intelligence is a new industry that never existed before; it sits on top of the IT industry — we’re inventing something fundamentally new. Denmark recognizes that to innovate in AI, the most impactful technology of our time, it must foster a domestic AI infrastructure and ecosystem. The Gefion supercomputer will supercharge the scientists of Denmark with local AI computing infrastructure to drive advancements in life sciences, climate research, and quantum computing.”

Denmark's new supercomputer, Gefion, named after a goddess in Danish mythology, will present new and untapped opportunities, including advancements in the green transition, tailor-made solutions, and more. "In a time of heightened international competition, this supercomputer acts as a vital enabler for advancing Danish businesses into the future," added Morten Bødskov, the Minister for Industry, Business, and Financial Affairs.

channeledThe public-private partnership between the Novo Nordisk Foundation and the Export and Investment Fund of Denmark (EIFO) heavily influenced the development of Gefion. Novo Nordisk Foundation channeled $87 million towards the initial cost of developing the supercomputer, while the latter contributed $14.5 million. For context, the Danish Centre for AI Innovation A/S (DCAI) owns and will operate the supercomputer, with Novo Nordisk being among the first beneficiaries to leverage the system's powerful capabilities.

According to Jensen Huang:

"The era of computer-aided drug discovery must be within this decade. I’m hoping that what the computer did to the technology industry, it will do for digital biology."

Danish Centre for AI Innovation CEO Nadia Carlsten indicated that the complex state-of-the-art project only took six months from announcement to completion. "I am extremely proud of the team that came together and collaborated to turn this vision into a reality, delivering a leading capability that is now ready for customers to start testing new use cases,” added Carlsten. "Gefion is the game-changer that many innovators had been waiting for."

This news comes weeks after NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang lauded xAI's efforts in setting up 100,000 H200 AI GPUs in under three weeks, branding Elon Musk a superhuman for achieving what would take everyone four years in just 19 days.

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Kevin Okemwa
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Kevin Okemwa is a seasoned tech journalist based in Nairobi, Kenya with lots of experience covering the latest trends and developments in the industry at Windows Central. With a passion for innovation and a keen eye for detail, he has written for leading publications such as OnMSFT, MakeUseOf, and Windows Report, providing insightful analysis and breaking news on everything revolving around the Microsoft ecosystem. You'll also catch him occasionally contributing at iMore about Apple and AI. While AFK and not busy following the ever-emerging trends in tech, you can find him exploring the world or listening to music.