The SIN Canada team has organised a mission to the UK to deepen collaboration in the field of AI compute and gain insights into the UK’s supercomputing landscape.
The race for supercomputing power is heating up globally, with nations recognising its pivotal role in training the next generation of AI compute models.
Canada and the UK have emerged as leading players in the science and technology field, with a shared vision of harnessing AI’s potential for society’s benefit.
The Canadian delegation visited the UK with the aim of gaining invaluable insights into the UK’s supercomputing landscape.
This mission was underpinned by the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in early 2024 by the UK and Canadian governments, which established a cooperative framework for future collaboration in AI compute.
Understanding policy development of AI compute
A core focus of the mission was to understand the policy development behind the UK’s AI compute investments, exascale investments, and the AI Research Resource.
In April 2024, Prime Minister Trudeau announced Canada’s investment of CA$2bn to launch a new AI Compute Access Fund and Canadian AI sovereign compute strategy.
As the sector develops, officials are keen to learn from the UK’s experience in building such large-scale infrastructure.
Additionally, the delegation sought insights into the UK’s project management and procurement approaches, access policies, and strategies for addressing the challenges of energy consumption associated with supercomputing – sustainable infrastructure is one element of the MoU.
The UK’s approach to safety and sustainability
The mission also provided an opportunity to explore the UK’s approach to AI safety and security.
Meetings with the UK National Cyber Security Centre and the AI Safety Institute were crucial in understanding the measures being taken to mitigate risks associated with AI compute.
These events facilitated valuable dialogue with key stakeholders in the UK AI ecosystem.
One participant explained: “I would venture to say that it has motivated a re-evaluation of what we believe could be possible, not only in Canada, but also in what partnerships and cooperation might be sparked between Canada and the UK in the realm of AI, compute infrastructure, and AI safety.
“It truly brought to life the true spirit of the UK-Canada MoU.”
Developing world-class supercomputing infrastructure
This SIN Canada-led inward mission marks a significant step forward in the Canada-UK AI compute collaboration.
By sharing knowledge and best practices, both countries can accelerate their progress in developing world-class supercomputing infrastructure.
The ultimate goal was to create an environment where AI research and innovation can flourish, driving economic growth and addressing societal challenges.
As the world becomes increasingly reliant on AI, partnerships like the one between Canada and the UK will be essential for shaping the future of this transformative technology.
There will likely be a return visit in February 2025 to further cement UK-Canada AI collaboration and strengthen connections between UK and Canadian AI experts.
