Computing process initiated with the use of a powerful machine.

Jupiter, Europe's first exascale-class supercomputer, is set to revolutionise the continent's position in the artificial intelligence (AI) race after a decade of development. This colossal machine, which covers half a football field and is packed into 125 racks, boasts over 24,000 Nvidia GH200 chips that enable parallel applications.

The inauguration of Jupiter was attended by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and NRW Minister President Hendrik Wuest (both CDU). This groundbreaking supercomputer is funded by the European public-private partnership initiative Euro-HPCe, the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Jupiter is designed to advance climate and health research, and to help Europe catch up in the race for artificial intelligence. It can perform over a trillion calculations per second, equivalent to the performance of a million smartphones stacked as high as Mount Everest. This computational power will significantly aid in improving climate models and weather simulations, enabling more accurate long-term climate change predictions and local extreme weather events.

Jupiter's operation is the most energy-efficient among high-performance supercomputers on the Top 500 list. It is powered by renewable energy sources and features a warm-water cooling system designed to utilise waste heat generated during operation to heat buildings on campus.

Jupiter also comes equipped with a "booster" feature that allows it to train AI models with massive datasets at high speeds. This feature will be instrumental in the development and optimization of a sustainable energy system and the development of new drugs against previously little-understood diseases.

Moreover, Jupiter is a modular supercomputer, capable of integrating new technologies like quantum computing and neuromorphic chips. While quantum computers, which have the potential to be faster, are still in the development phase, their integration into Jupiter demonstrates a commitment to future technological advancements.

Jupiter ranks fourth on the official Top 500 list of the world's fastest supercomputers. Astrid Lambrecht, CEO of the Forschungszentrum Jülich research center, refers to Jupiter as the "central building block for Europe's digital sovereignty." This sentiment is shared by many, as Jupiter is considered a crucial element for Europe's digital independence.

In the site selection process for Jupiter, Jülich won out over research institutions in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. The financing of the European digital sovereignty pillar, the supercomputer Jupiter, involves the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking, the German federal government, the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, and an industrial consortium led by Eviden (Atos) and ParTec, with NVIDIA providing the accelerator platform.

In conclusion, Jupiter, Europe's first exascale-class supercomputer, demonstrates its potential for science, business, and society in the field of artificial intelligence. As scientists and companies from the U.S. and increasingly China are currently setting the pace, Jupiter is a significant step towards changing Europe's position in the AI race.