As the birthplace of artificial intelligence (AI) and a global leader in frontier AI research, Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) has selected Google Public Sector as its partner for large-scale computing. This collaboration will enable CMU’s world-class research to reach a new level of impact in AI for scientific discovery and commercial applications.
Through this partnership, CMU has acquired a large cloud-based GPU cluster, significantly expanding its high-performance computing capacity and establishing its position as a national leader in university cloud-based research computing. This cutting-edge infrastructure will enable CMU researchers to tackle some of the most complex challenges in AI, advancing scientific discovery, technological innovation and real-world impact.
“Carnegie Mellon University is thrilled to be extending our long record of collaboration and innovation with Google,” said Stan Waddell(opens in new window), Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer. “This new phase of our collaboration will augment efforts to tackle some of the most intractable challenges facing society today.”
This partnership, paired with Google’s established presence in Pittsburgh, further establishes the city as a growing technology hub actively attracting talent and investment to the region. Advancements in AI are closely linked to the availability of computing power. While academic research typically operates on a smaller scale than large industry projects, it is increasingly important for the nation’s future talent pipeline to have access to systems capable of running on hundreds of GPUs.
“Access to this amount of computing power will fundamentally change what we are able to accomplish as a university in the field of AI and machine learning,” said Zico Kolter, head of the Machine Learning Department at Carnegie Mellon. “With this resource, our researchers will be able to power new advances in the development of safer AI systems, of new models aimed at fundamental advances in science, and in the development of large-scale evaluations to truly understand AI’s current and future capabilities.”
Google Public Sector is providing comprehensive support for onboarding workloads and optimizing resources, ensuring CMU researchers can seamlessly leverage its advanced GPU infrastructure. This support will enable them to tackle complex challenges and create real-world impact.
“Improving access to large-scale computing power is essential for fostering research innovation at U.S. education institutions and empowering the next generation of AI,” said Brad Hoffman, director, state and local government and higher education, Google Public Sector. “These types of partnerships are critical to advancing research and the development of critical skills to shape the future of AI. At Google Public Sector, we are dedicated to providing secure, scalable, and innovative cloud solutions that enable educators and researchers to power the next generation of innovation.”
This partnership marks a significant milestone in CMU’s ongoing commitment to pushing the boundaries of AI research. By expanding access to cutting-edge computing power, Carnegie Mellon and Google Public Sector are paving the way for groundbreaking discoveries that will shape the future of AI and its applications across industries. As AI continues to evolve, this collaboration ensures that CMU remains at the forefront of innovation, driving advancements that will have lasting global societal outcomes.