Fujitsu awarded contract to design next-gen flagship supercomputer FugakuNEXT

Fujitsu Ltd has been awarded a contract by the Japanese research and development institute RIKEN to design a next-generation flagship supercomputer. 

The contract for the supercomputer, provisionally named “FugakuNEXT,” encompasses the overall system, computing nodes, and CPU components and the basic design phase is scheduled to run until February 27, 2026.

Next-generation computing platform
The rapid growth of generative AI and other technologies is driving increased demand for diverse and large-scale computing resources for R&D. According to a report1 by the HPCI Steering Committee established by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), the importance of “AI for Science,” i.e., initiatives that combine AI with simulation technology, real-time data, and automated experiments, is increasing, prompting nations to prioritize advanced computing infrastructure. 

Japan needs a new, flexible platform that will address these evolving demands, enable its leadership in science, technology, and innovation and facilitate further societal and industrial advancement. The HPCI Program Steering Committee has chosen RIKEN as the primary entity responsible for developing this platform, and RIKEN has chosen Fujitsu to design it.

Building foundation for future innovation with advanced CPU design
FugakuNEXT will leverage Fujitsu’s established supercomputing expertise, incorporating advanced technologies from the FUJITSU-MONAKA general-purpose CPU currently under development, and will cater to evolving customer needs by allowing for seamless integration with GPUs and other accelerators.

FUJITSU-MONAKA, built on leading-edge 2nm technology, employs Fujitsu's unique technologies, including a microarchitecture optimized for advanced 3D packaging and ultra-low voltage circuit operation. It aims to deliver both high performance and power efficiency across diverse next-generation computing applications, from edge computing to data centers, while ensuring safety, security, and ease of use. 

The successor CPU to FUJITSU-MONAKA, tentatively named "FUJITSU-MONAKA-X,” intended for use in FugakuNEXT, will not only inherit and accelerate existing Fugaku application assets but also incorporate state-of-the-art AI processing acceleration capabilities to meet growing AI demands. This CPU is intended for broad application across sectors supporting society and industry, extending beyond its role in FugakuNEXT.

Through its core, Made-in-Japan CPU technology, Fujitsu will continue to deliver innovation and build trust, contributing to a world-class computing infrastructure and advancing Japanese science and technology.

Fujitsu is committed to "making the world more sustainable by building trust in society through innovation," aiming to achieve both business transformation and a sustainable society through continuous research and development of technology. FugakuNEXT will be a crucial step in realizing this purpose.

Vivek Mahajan, Corporate Executive Officer, Corporate VP, CTO, in charge of System Platform, Fujitsu, comments: "We are excited to be a part of the FugakuNEXT project, which is poised to revolutionize Japan's scientific and technological landscape. Fujitsu is determined to build a system that can dynamically meet customer needs, drawing on our invaluable experience from Fugaku and the cutting-edge technologies of FUJITSU-MONAKA and FUJITSU-MONAKA-X. 

"By forging diverse partnerships, we will deliver the powerful computing infrastructure that society and industry need to succeed. What's more, we'll be channeling the expertise cultivated through this project into the development of next-generation Neural Processing Units (NPUs) and other advanced AI processors, taking Made-in-Japan technology from Japan to the world and spearheading the adoption and acceleration of AI for businesses and society."