France is getting its first exascale supercomputer – and it's named after an early French AI pioneer

(Image credit: Getty Images)

France is set to deploy its first exascale supercomputer following a deal between AMD and Eviden, part of Atos Group.

Named Alice Recoque after the pioneering French computer scientist, the new exascale system will serve as an ‘AI Factory’ operated by the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CAE).

Development of the supercomputer is set to cost €554 million ($638.85 million), with investment secured via the European Union’s EuroHPC Ju initiative and additional support from the Digital Europe Programme (DEP and the Jules Verne Consortium).

In an announcement confirming the project, Dan McNamara, senior vice president and general manager for compute & enterprise AI at AMD, said the new system will help drive the “next generation of innovation” in AI and high-performance computing (HPC).

Under the hood of the Alice Recoque supercomputer

The Alice Recoque supercomputer will be equipped with next generation AMD “Venice” EPYC CPUs, unveiled in April this year, alongside AMD Instinct MI430X GPUs.

Each GPU boasts 432 GB of HBM4 memory alongside 19.6 Tbit/sec of bandwidth, AMD revealed.

Elsewhere, a new MI400 Series accelerator will power the system, which AMD said has been specifically engineered for “sovereign AI and scientific computing”.

Underpinning AMD's hardware is Eviden’s BullSequana XH3500 high-performance supercomputing platform, including its Argos software to optimize energy efficiency.

All told, the duo said Alice Recoque will be capable of reaching exascale computing speeds with “fewer resources and reduced energy consumption rates”, establishing it as one of the most efficient systems in Europe.

Indeed, the system uses 25% fewer racks and components compared to other exascale systems, also boasting 50% better energy efficiency rates per GPU.

“Composed of 94 racks, Alice Recoque is expected to be one of the top supercomputers in Europe for double-precision HPC workloads,” AMD said in a statement. “It will also offer exceptional memory performance enabling deeper insights, faster simulations, and more scientific breakthroughs.”

“Eviden’s architecture will enable Alice Recoque to deliver maximum performance at minimum cost and power, to meet Europe’s demanding green computing goals.”

What will the supercomputer be used for?

Once operational, the new exascale system will be used to tackle some of Europe’s “most pressing societal, scientific, and industrial challenges”, according to AMD.

This will include projects focusing on climate modelling, digital twin simulations, advanced materials research, and development of next-generation AI models.

Emmanuel Le Roux, group SVP and global head of advanced computing and AI at Eviden, said the new system marks “another critical step” in bolstering European supercomputing capabilities.

“As a catalyst for scientific and industrial breakthroughs, from climate modeling and healthcare to advanced materials and AI innovation, it will empower researchers and industries across Europe,” Le Roux commented.

“Born from a shared European vision, this AI Factory reflects on what we can achieve collectively toward a common goal. Eviden is fully dedicated to its success, bringing deep expertise, a collaborative spirit, and a long-term dedication to responsible technological leadership.”

The announcement marks the latest in a string of supercomputing announcements from AMD in recent years. Hardware developed by the company currently powers 40% of the top 10 fastest supercomputers in the world.

This includes El Capitan, housed at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, as well as Frontier, the world’s first exascale system housed at Oak Ridge.

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Ross Kelly is ITPro's News & Analysis Editor, responsible for leading the brand's news output and in-depth reporting on the latest stories from across the business technology landscape. Ross was previously a Staff Writer, during which time he developed a keen interest in cyber security, business leadership, and emerging technologies.

He graduated from Edinburgh Napier University in 2016 with a BA (Hons) in Journalism, and joined ITPro in 2022 after four years working in technology conference research.

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