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Norwegian firm Nscale pioneers sustainable GPU cloud with renewable energy
Mon, 6th May 2024

Embedded in Northern Norway’s fertile grounds of renewable energy, a new strategic player has emerged in the domain of artificial intelligence (AI) and High-Performance Computing (HPC). Pioneered as one of the planet's first cloud services providers devoted to Advanced Micro Devices' technology, Nscale is a high-performance and sustainable GPU cloud. Architected from Arkon Energy’s reputable 300MW data centre and hosting business, the new venture stands to revolutionise the state of play in accelerated computing.

Nscale, located in Northern Norway, is particularly compelling given its strategic positioning amidst some of the world's most cost-effective renewable energy. This geographical novelty establishes Nscale's N1 Glomfjord site as one of the world’s most cost-efficient hubs for Long Lifespan, Large Model (LLM) and AI training.

Nscale's ownership and operation of the entire AI infrastructure elevates it to a unique category of cloud service providers. From modular data centres to high-performance compute clusters, Nscale is well-positioned to optimise each layer of the stack, enhancing performance while streamlining cost-efficiency. Moreover, Nscale’s commitment to sustainability is highlighted by its operational power supplied entirely from renewable energy sources, a feature complemented by the utilisation of natural cooling system solutions to distribute sustainable GPU compute services.

The proprietary advantages of being powered by 100% renewable energy, coupled with vertical integration, empower Nscale to deliver an affordable solution for GPU computing that stands competitive amongst market alternatives. Designed to cater to the needs of AI, Nscale significantly simplifies the processes of setting up, configuring, and managing cloud-based supercomputing clusters. This is aimed at bolstering the pace of AI research and development.

Josh Payne, Co-Founder and CEO of Nscale, said, "AI's proliferation into every enterprise, product, and service will drive an unprecedented demand for AI infrastructure in the coming years. Nscale aims to democratise high-performance computing to unleash AI's potential." He further articulated the company's mission, asserting their service as an offering for all; industries, research institutions, and AI startups alike. "By harnessing AMD's cutting-edge technology with Norway's ample, low-cost energy, we are providing a next-gen AI Cloud platform that is powerful, sustainable, and cost-effective," Payne affirmed.

Reflecting on the collaboration, Andrew Dieckmann, Corporate Vice President and General Manager of AMD Instinct Business, said, "We believe in AI's transformative power and are excited to collaborate with Nscale to deliver cloud instances of the AMD Instinct MI300X accelerator. Leveraging the AMD ROCm open software ecosystem, Nscale's AI Cloud Services platform offers a compelling TCO advantage against market alternatives, achieving highly competitive Generative AI inferencing performance."

The AMD Instinct MI300X accelerators' enhanced memory bandwidth and capacity, in combination with Nscale's extensive hardware experience and the proven AMD ROCm open ecosystem, allow the company to deliver impressive price, performance, and efficiency for the most demanding LLM and GenAI tasks.

Nscale's innovative solutions are set to attract a spectrum of developers, startups, and large enterprises who aim to leverage advanced AI, deep learning, and big data analytics but have been previously impeded by the high costs and environmental concerns associated with traditional GPU cloud services.

As a partner in innovation, Nscale utilises its resilient and affordable GPU solutions to catalyse the development of transformative technologies and research, propelling advancements across a multitude of sectors.