Wedoany.com Report-Oct. 28, The United States has established a $1 billion collaboration with Advanced Micro Devices (AMD.O) to develop two supercomputers. These systems will address major scientific challenges in fields such as nuclear energy, cancer research, and national security, as stated by Energy Secretary Chris Wright and AMD CEO Lisa Su in an interview.

A person reflects in the window of the U.S. Department of Energy, with the official portrait of U.S. President Donald Trump on the wall, following a partial government shutdown in Washington, D.C., U.S., October 2, 2025.

The initiative ensures sufficient computational resources for handling complex experiments that demand extensive data processing. The supercomputers will expedite breakthroughs in priority areas for the nation.

Energy Secretary Wright explained that the machines will significantly advance nuclear power, fusion energy, defense technologies, and pharmaceutical development. Fusion involves combining light atoms in plasma under extreme conditions to generate substantial energy. "We've made great progress, but plasmas are unstable, and we need to recreate the center of the sun on Earth," Wright told Reuters.

"We're going to get just massively faster progress using the computation from these AI systems that I believe will have practical pathways to harness fusion energy in the next two or three years." The systems will also support nuclear weapons management and enhance drug discovery through molecular-level simulations for cancer treatments. "My hope is in the next five or eight years, we will turn most cancers, many of which today are ultimate death sentences, into manageable conditions," Wright said.

The first supercomputer, named Lux, will be assembled and operational within six months. It incorporates AMD's MI355X AI chips, along with the company's central processors and networking components. The project involves AMD, Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE.N), Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).

AMD's Su described the Lux rollout as the quickest for a system of its scale that she has observed. "This is the speed and agility that we wanted to (do) this for the U.S. AI efforts," Su said.

ORNL Director Stephen Streiffer noted that Lux will provide approximately three times the AI performance of existing supercomputers.

The second system, Discovery, utilizes AMD's MI430 series chips optimized for high-performance tasks. ORNL, HPE, and AMD will design it, with delivery planned for 2028 and operations starting in 2029.

Streiffer anticipated significant improvements but did not specify the extent of enhanced capability.

The MI430 variant integrates elements of conventional supercomputing processors with AI functionality, Su explained.

The Department of Energy will operate the supercomputers, while the companies supply equipment and funding. Computing resources will be shared between the parties, according to a DOE official.

These AMD-based supercomputers represent the initial phase of multiple planned partnerships between private sector entities and DOE laboratories nationwide, the official added.

This public-private model accelerates deployment of advanced infrastructure. Lux's rapid timeline demonstrates efficient coordination among participants.

Enhanced AI capacity enables more accurate modeling of fusion reactions, potentially shortening development cycles. Similar benefits apply to material science for nuclear applications and precision medicine.

Discovery's future capabilities will build on Lux, incorporating next-generation hardware for even greater simulation depth.

Shared access promotes collaborative research across government, industry, and academia. The arrangement optimizes investment while broadening impact.

Ongoing expansions in supercomputing support diverse scientific objectives. From energy innovation to health advancements, the systems provide foundational tools for progress.

The partnership highlights integration of commercial technology into national priorities. AMD's role underscores the value of specialized chips in large-scale computation.

As additional collaborations form, the ecosystem for high-performance computing strengthens. This positions the U.S. to maintain leadership in computationally intensive fields.