Most Read This Week: Nvidia Builds a Student Supercomputer

Here are this week's most-read stories on AI Business:

Nvidia, Georgia Tech to Build AI Supercomputer for Students

Nvidia is working with Georgia Tech’s College of Engineering to build a dedicated AI supercomputer for students.

Named AI Makerspace, the project provides undergraduate students with access to hardware that would have been previously reserved for researchers.

Students will get hands-on access to a computing cluster of 20 Nvidia HGX H100s, housing a total of 160 GPUs, enough to power advanced AI and machine learning efforts.

According to the university, a single GPU can perform a multiplication operation in one second that would take 50,000 students 22 years to achieve.

“The AI Makerspace will provide a technological upgrade equivalent to switching from an etch-a-sketch to an iPad,” said Arijit Raychowdhury, professor and Steve W. Chaddick school chair of electrical and computer engineering. “That’s the level of difference in technology that the AI Makerspace provides to students,” 

Students would be able to access the cluster online, with Georgia Tech describing it as a “digital sandbox for students to understand and use AI in the classroom.”

Read more about the Georgia Tech supercomputer

Microsoft Invests $2.9 Billion to Enhance Cloud, AI Infrastructure in Japan

Related:Meta Unveils Llama 3, the Most Powerful Open Source Model Yet

Microsoft has pledged to build and improve cloud and AI infrastructure in Japan as part of a $2.9 billion investment.

The investment, Microsoft's largest ever in Japan, aims to expand the country’s computing capabilities while also upskilling the local workforce, advancing AI research and strengthening cybersecurity defenses.

The investment doubles Microsoft’s existing financial commitments to expand its AI and cloud infrastructure nationwide. 

Microsoft said the increased investment would expand Japan’s access to computing resources, including its latest GPUs for powering local AI workloads.

“[This] announcement represents Microsoft’s most significant investment in Japan since we set roots here in 1978,” said Brad Smith, Microsoft vice chair and president. “These investments in digital infrastructure, AI skills, cybersecurity and AI research are essential ingredients for Japan to build a robust AI economy.”

Learn more about Microsoft’s Japanese expansion

AI System Can Detect Parkinson's Disease from Brain Waves, Study Finds

Researchers have created an AI-powered system capable of detecting early signs of Parkinson's disease from brain wave recordings.

Researchers from universities in the U.K., Denmark and Australia developed an AI system that analyzes electroencephalograms (EEGs), which measure the brain’s electrical activity.

Related:Generative AI Surge in Asia, Oceania Fueled by Local Solutions

Parkinson's is a progressive neurological condition where nerve cells in the brain become damaged over time, leading to reduced motor control.

According to the Parkinson’s Foundation, more than 10 million people worldwide are living with Parkinson's, including one million in the U.S., with that number expected to rise to 1.2 million by 2030.

There is currently no cure for Parkinson's. Current diagnosis methods rely on a physician's judgment in evaluating symptoms and medical tests. Earlier Parkinson's diagnoses allow caregivers to provide a better quality of life to those suffering.

The new AI system can detect Parkinson's disease from brain wave scans, enabling clinicians to achieve earlier diagnosis compared to previous techniques.

The system can pick up abnormalities in EEG scans, providing clinicians with insights into the presence and severity of the disease in a patient.

Read more the brain wave detection system

AI Pioneer Andrew Ng Joins Amazon’s Board Amid AI Expansion

Google Brain co-founder and pioneering AI researcher Andrew Ng has joined Amazon’s board of directors as the company continues to expand its AI efforts.

Ng, who is also a professor at Stanford University and the managing general partner of AI Fund, joined the board effective April 9.

Amazon said Ng’s presence on the company’s board would help inform its understanding of “opportunities and challenges that AI presents and its transformative social and business potential.”

“Ng has authored or co-authored more than 200 research papers on machine learning, robotics, and other related fields, bringing deep insight into a range of emerging technologies,” according to an Amazon announcement. “We seek to have appropriate experience and perspectives at all levels of the company, including our Board of Directors, and we’re excited to welcome Ng.”

Read more about Ng’s Amazon appointment

Korean Startup Raises $72M to Build Custom Large Language Models

South Korean startup Upstage AI has raised $72 million in series B funding to develop customized large language models for enterprises.

Founded in October 2020, Upstage builds custom large language models, working with businesses to tailor AI models for specific domains. Its flagship Solar LLM model is powering use cases in industrial environments.

Korean telco KT joined SK Networks and Hana Ventures in leading the round. Mirae Asset Venture Investment and IBK Securities joined existing investors SBVA (formerly SoftBank Ventures Asia), Premier Partners and Primer Sazze.

The round brings Upstage’s total capital raised to more than $100 million. This latest raise makes Upstage the most-funded AI software company in South Korean history, the company claimed.

Upstage will use the funds to accelerate the development of its AI models and fund its U.S. expansion with a new office in San Jose, California. 

Learn more about Upstage AI.