A new era of digital innovation has arrived in the UK with the launch of the Mary Coombs AI supercomputer, a cutting-edge system designed to accelerate progress in science, medicine and clean energy.
The supercomputer, located at the Science and Technology Facilities Council’s (STFC) Hartley Center in Daresbury, will provide businesses and public sector organizations with access to unrivaled computing power and expertise.
Named after Britain’s first female commercial programmer, Mary Coombs, this next-generation AI supercomputer is a milestone in British computing history.
It has been installed within STFC’s new £30 million supercomputing center at Daresbury Research Institute in Liverpool City Region.
Professor Kate Royce, Director of the STFC Heart Tree Center, highlighted the importance of this technology: “Here at the Harttree Centre, the new Mary Coombs supercomputer can provide UK industry with the computing power, expertise and skills needed to turn ambitious ideas into real-world solutions.
“From drug discovery to climate research, companies will be able to process huge and complex data sets faster and more efficiently than ever before, without the need for in-house supercomputing or AI expertise.
“By providing industry with access to world-class AI and high-performance computing and the exceptional skills of the Hartley Center’s scientists, Mary Coombs will help companies innovate with confidence, accelerate research and bring solutions to market faster, delivering tangible benefits to our economy and society.”
Power discovery with unprecedented speed
Mary Coombs Systems are technology powerhouses. It delivers an incredible performance of 24.41 petaflops, or 24.41 quintillion calculations per second, delivering 10x the performance of the previous generation Scafell Pike while operating more energy efficiently.
To put this into perspective, if humans performed one calculation per second, it would take over 773 million years to achieve the same result.
Specifically designed for AI workloads, machine learning, and advanced visualization, this GPU-based AI supercomputer dramatically speeds up research and innovation across multiple industries.
From developing new medicines and predicting climate change to advancing clean energy solutions, its capabilities promise to transform the way we solve complex problems.
UK productivity and growth driver
The Mary Coombs supercomputer is part of the £210m Hartley National Center for Digital Innovation (HNCDI), a strategic partnership between STFC and IBM.
The program supports UK businesses and the public sector in the deployment of emerging technologies such as AI, quantum computing and data analytics, which are critical tools for increasing productivity and competitiveness on a global scale.
The Mary Coombs System is expected to have a major impact on the UK economy by bringing cutting-edge research into real-world applications faster than ever before.
This will enable small and medium-sized enterprises as well as large enterprises to take advantage of the full potential of AI and advanced computing technologies that are rapidly reshaping industries around the world.
Paul Vernon, Director of STFC’s Daresbury Institute, added: “The launch of the STFC Supercomputing Center and Mary Coombs is a significant milestone for UK innovation, giving businesses access to world-class tools and expertise to turn ideas into reality.”
“This new facility is a key national asset for research and innovation, strengthening the North West’s position as a hub for advanced technology, digital skills and high-value jobs.
“By providing businesses with the infrastructure to explore and apply advanced digital technologies, we are helping to build a stronger, more innovative digital economy and ensuring the UK remains at the forefront of global research and development, driving growth and opportunity across the country.”
Driving the UK’s AI future
The launch of the Mary Coombs AI supercomputer also coincides with the UK Government’s AI Opportunities Action Plan, a national initiative to strengthen the country’s position as a global leader in artificial intelligence.
As the UK’s only supercomputing center dedicated to industrial collaboration, the Hartley Center continues to drive digital innovation and scientific progress.
With Mary Coombs online, the country’s ambitions for AI-driven growth, sustainability and discovery are closer to reality than ever before.
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