Harnessing exascale computing and scalable AI for societal impact

Our Chief Science Officer, Vassil Alexandrov, delves into how exascale computing and scalable AI are helping to transform industry, accelerate innovation and address societal challenges. 

Exascale computing refers to systems capable of performing at least 1*1018 calculations a second, or 1 exaflop and is already reshaping the global scientific landscape. To put that into perspective, exascale computers operate with a processing power similar to that of the human brain. 

At the Hartree Centre, we see exascale computing and scalable AI as key enablers for digital transformation across industry. We are not just talking about faster computers but about real, measurable outcomes that could reduce R&D costs in manufacturing, help companies adapt to climate risks or improve public health through more intelligent diagnostics. To empower industry to explore and adopt these technologies, we run an annual exascale and scalable AI workshop,bringing together national laboratories, industry leaders and government representatives to spark collaboration and drive innovation. This summer, we are hosting our third workshop, focusing on Computing for Sustainable Innovation, We will look at sustainability and computing practices that can support greener digital transformation, as well as sharing insights into building future-proof digital infrastructure from UK and international computing experts. 

In recent years, there have been a series of programmes and government initiatives to get UK industry ready for large scale computing and AI. From the ExCALIBUR programme, aimed to help the UK become exascale ready, to the recently announced AI Opportunities Action Plan outlining the government’s intention to invest in widespread industry uptake of AI. These programmes are helping to accelerate the technological readiness of UK industry. To help convene industry leaders and computing experts, we run events like the Computing for Sustainable Innovation workshop, showcasing how advanced digital technologies can be applied across sectors. At the workshop we will show how organisations of any size can future-proof their industry, from reaching sustainable energy goals to accelerating drug discovery. 

Take electric vehicles for example, with regulations driving a shift towards zero-emission transport by 2035, the pressure is on to design and test new battery technologies at unprecedented speed. We are working with partners across the automotive industry to use advanced simulation and AI tools to model battery performance, optimise supply chains and predict how external factors might impact production. By doing so, we are not just accelerating product development but also reducing the need for costly physical testing. 

Through our work with IBM as part of the Hartree National Centre for Digital Innovation programme, we are showing how scalable AI can fast-track discoveries in healthcare. We have developed automated, high-throughput AI software that identifies key biological factors behind complex diseases like bowel cancer. This kind of insight, which once required months of manual laboratory analysis, now happens in a fraction of the time. This is a game-changer for personalised medicine and preventative healthcare. 

We are also looking into how we can use exascale computing and scalable AI to tackle grand challenges like the climate crisis. One standout project is the Climate Resilience Demonstrator (CReDo), which uses digital twins to simulate how essential infrastructure like electricity grids and telecom networks might respond to extreme weather events. These kinds of insights are critical to protecting communities, maintaining service delivery and building more resilient systems. We are also looking to help develop sustainable energy resources with fusion power through our work with UK Atomic Energy Authority as a part of Fusion Computing Lab. Through this collaboration, we are using cutting-edge digital technologies to build a digital twin of a tokamak and help make fusion energy a commercial reality. 

These instances show how the convergence of exascale computing and scalable AI is already driving change. AI is an essential technology for industry and scalable AI means designing systems that can expand without breaking down. It is about making sure your models grow with your business needs, your research ambitions and with industry goals. That is why we are investing in the UK’s exascale ecosystem to help prepare academia, industry and the public sector for tomorrow’s demands.