The powerful Fugaku supercomputer in Japan is already among the fastest in the world. However, the nation’s scientists are not doing nothing. Instead, they are preparing for a huge upgrade: a supercomputer known as the “Fugaku Next,” which might be up to a thousand times faster than the one we now have.
They’re not merely making minor adjustments. It is a massive, bloody step forward. Operating at the illusive zettaFLOPS level, Fugaku Next is poised to become the first “zetta-class” supercomputer in history. To put that into perspective, the fastest systems available today, such as the Frontier supercomputer in the United States, can perform up to 1.1 quintillion floating-point operations per second, or exaFLOPS. By the way, a quintillion is a 1 followed by 18 zeros. Yes, that is already quite astounding.
Imagine multiplying that by a thousand, though. That’s a 1 followed by 21 zeros, or a sextillion FLOPS, a number so absurdly big it’s difficult to even understand. And that is Japan’s new supercomputer’s mind-bending goal. Not only that, but the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT) has officially approved it, and building is scheduled to begin in 2025.
By 2030, if all goes according to plan, this computing monster should be operational. With a staggering 110 billion yen, or around $780 million US dollars, the Japanese government is supporting it. Fugaku Next will begin assuming some of the responsibilities left by its predecessor once it is up and running, but it will have far more authority.
With this one, AI will play a significant role. According to MEXT’s official documents, one of the main areas where Fugaku Next is anticipated to succeed is artificial intelligence. AI requires a tremendous amount of computing power because to its huge calculations, especially generative tools like ChatGPT. The machine that does it all with ease might be Fugaku Next.
The unsung heroes behind enormous discoveries have always been supercomputers. They propel scientific advancement in everything from predicting climate change and simulating black holes to discovering new materials and resolving challenging mathematical puzzles. Their potential only increases with strength.
It’s interesting to note that these supercomputers aren’t some sort of extraterrestrial technology; rather, they are constructed using the same processors, memory, and storage as a typical laptop or desktop. Just like a laptop on steroids, these are cranked up to the highest possible level.
Simulations with enormous volumes of data and variables are where these machines truly shine. Consider the difficulties involved in forecasting the future temperature of Earth or organizing a far space expedition. The technology calculates every single variable and every potential result at lightning speed. With its sophisticated capabilities, a zetta-class machine will provide even more precise and in-depth information.
If everything goes as planned, we might be seeing the beginning of a completely new era of supercomputing in six years, one characterized by speeds and capacities that are difficult for us to comprehend now. Fugaku Next could be the device that propels us into the rapidly approaching future.
