The United States Department of Energy has entered a $1 billion public-private partnership with Advanced Micro Devices to develop two cutting-edge supercomputers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
This initiative combines government oversight with industry expertise from AMD, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure to create sovereign AI infrastructure capable of addressing the nation's most complex scientific challenges.
Lux Supercomputer Targets Immediate AI Demands
The first system, Lux, represents America's inaugural AI Factory supercomputer. Powered by AMD Instinct MI355X GPUs alongside EPYC CPUs and Pensando networking technologies, Lux will deploy in early 2026. This rapid timeline underscores the urgency of expanding U.S. computational capacity for training foundation models and advancing research in energy, materials science, medicine, and manufacturing. Lux delivers approximately three times the AI processing power of existing systems, enabling breakthroughs that demand unprecedented scale.
Discovery Pushes Boundaries of Future Computing
Following Lux, the Discovery supercomputer will leverage AMD's forthcoming MI430 accelerators, a specialized variant of the MI400 series optimized for hybrid high-performance computing and AI workloads. Designed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory, HPE, and AMD, Discovery arrives in 2028 with full operations by 2029. Its architecture promises massive leaps in performance, building on the legacy of Frontier, the world's first exascale system, to simulate phenomena at scales previously unattainable.
Transformative Applications Across Critical Sectors
These supercomputers will simulate nuclear fusion reactions to unlock clean energy potential and model molecular interactions for cancer therapies that target diseases at their root. National security benefits include advanced management of the nuclear arsenal through precise simulations. By sharing computing resources between government researchers and industry partners, the systems foster innovation in drug discovery, climate modeling, and materials design, positioning the U.S. ahead in global competition.
Public-Private Model Redefines Infrastructure Investment
Under this novel arrangement, the Department of Energy hosts the facilities while private partners supply hardware, software, and capital. This shared model minimizes taxpayer burden and accelerates deployment, setting a template for future collaborations across DOE laboratories. The partnership aligns with the U.S. AI Action Plan, emphasizing secure, federated infrastructure to maintain technological sovereignty amid rising geopolitical tensions.
Strategic Boost for AMD in AI Ecosystem
AMD's selection validates its Instinct platform as a cornerstone of national AI strategy, complementing deployments with hyperscalers and cloud providers. The deal enhances AMD's credibility in government procurement, potentially unlocking additional contracts as demand for diversified compute surges. With MI355X shipping now and MI430 on horizon, AMD solidifies its role in the convergence of AI and high-performance computing.
Blueprint for Sustained U.S. Technological Dominance
This $1 billion commitment signals a new era of integrated AI infrastructure, where public needs drive private innovation. By prioritizing domestic design and deployment, the U.S. counters foreign dependencies and fuels economic growth through scientific leadership. Lux and Discovery not only solve today's grand challenges but establish a scalable foundation for tomorrow's discoveries, ensuring American preeminence in the AI age.