Leaders in high performance computing in the U.S. and Japan have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) establishing a cooperative relationship in support of artificial intelligence (AI) computing projects.

The MOU was signed during a virtual event by Paul Kearns, laboratory director of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory, and RIKEN President Makoto Gonokami of Japan.

The MOU identifies areas of mutual interest at Argonne and RIKEN, Japan’s flagship research institute devoted to basic and applied research. The two institutions agreed to develop and evaluate new computing system software and science and engineering applications, including generative AI models, computing system operations, data management, AI architecture and remote methodologies.

Activities include an exchange of researchers, staff and students; delivering lectures and joint seminars and symposia; and sharing data sets and other scientific and technical research materials.

Argonne and RIKEN are working together on the AuroraGPT project to train large language models on scientific data and the global Trillion Parameter Consortium formed to address the challenges of building large-scale AI systems and advancing trustworthy and reliable AI for scientific discovery.

“We have formed a partnership that can make pivotal discoveries and transformative advancements,” Kearns said. ​“We’re addressing some of the most complex challenges facing society, and I’m confident that we can achieve an even bigger impact by working together.”

“Generative AI is creating many changes in our society in a variety of ways,” Gonokami said. ​“Ensuring that generative AI can contribute to the happiness of all humankind is a responsibility of today’s researchers. RIKEN and Argonne will place our faith in the power of science to continue to carry out research in pursuit of universal truths, and under the framework of Japan-U.S. relations will contribute to the development of AI for science around the world by leveraging our mutual strengths through diverse efforts that transcend national borders.”

The event was also attended by Rick Stevens, Argonne associate laboratory director for Computing, Environment and Life Science; and from RIKEN Dr. Makiko Naka, executive director; Dr. Satoshi Matsuoka, director, Center for Computational Science; and Dr. Makoto Taiji, deputy director, Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research.

RIKEN, a National Research and Development Agency, is Japan’s largest comprehensive research institution renowned for high-quality research in a diverse range of scientific disciplines. Founded in 1917 initially as a private research foundation, RIKEN has grown rapidly in size and scope, today encompassing a network of world-class research centers and institutes across Japan.

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