University of Utah launches Redtail AI supercomputer for statewide use

The University of Utah's responsible AI initiative marked its third year by launching Redtail, an AI supercomputer meant to serve researchers and, eventually, users across the state, according to a report published on @theU. More than 250 people attended the initiative's Oct. 6 symposium. ^[1]

Redtail came together about 18 months after initial talks, backed by the state and the university, philanthropic money from the Huntsman Family Foundation and Brynn Ballard and Peter Huntsman, and technology from HPE and NVIDIA, said Manish Parashar, the U's chief AI officer. The university's Center for High Performance Computing will run it, starting with higher education and later opening to government, K-12 schools and industry. ^[1]

University officials said the system ranks No. 159 in the world for speed and No. 76 for efficiency, and No. 5 among U.S. public universities. The first 21 projects selected to use it range from environmental forecasting to disease diagnosis, and Huntsman Cancer Institute CEO Bradley Cairns said it will help researchers find cancer treatments and detect the disease earlier. ^[1]

Utah Commerce Commissioner Margaret Wooley Busse said the machine supports the state's Pro-Human AI Initiative, including workforce retraining and attracting businesses. NVIDIA co-founder Chris Malachowsky told attendees Utah is "out in the lead." ^[1]