US and AMD Forge $1 Billion Partnership for Next-Gen AI Supercomputers

The United States Department of Energy (DoE) has announced a significant $1 billion partnership with Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) to construct two powerful supercomputers, Lux and Discovery. This collaboration, first reported by Reuters on Monday, October 27, 2025, aims to tackle critical scientific challenges ranging from nuclear fusion and cancer treatments to national security.

These advanced machines are specifically designed to accelerate breakthroughs across multiple strategically important areas, significantly speeding up scientific research. Energy Secretary Chris Wright stated that the supercomputers would "supercharge" advances in nuclear power, defense technologies, and pharmaceutical development, as Fast Company reported.

The partnership involves a consortium including AMD, Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, with the supercomputers to be hosted at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in Tennessee. According to siliconangle, the first system, Lux, is slated to come online within the next six months.

Lux, described as America's first "AI Factory" for science by AMD, will be powered by AMD's Instinct MI355X AI accelerators, alongside AMD CPUs and networking chips. ORNL Director Stephen Streiffer told Reuters that Lux is expected to deliver approximately three times the AI capacity of current top supercomputers.

Following Lux, a more advanced system named Discovery is anticipated to be delivered in 2028 and operational by 2029, utilizing AMD's upcoming MI430 AI chips. This initiative underscores a broader U.S. effort to maintain global leadership in high-performance computing and artificial intelligence, as noted by The Tech Buzz.

AMD CEO Lisa Su emphasized the strategic importance of this public-private partnership, telling CNA that it should serve as a model for American innovation. She credited the Trump administration's vision for American leadership in AI as a catalyst for these projects at Oak Ridge.

• AMD's Established Leadership in High-Performance Computing: This $1 billion partnership builds upon AMD's proven track record in delivering world-leading supercomputing capabilities for the U.S. Department of Energy. AMD chips power the Frontier supercomputer at Oak Ridge, which was the world's first exascale system, and the El Capitan supercomputer, recognized as one of the fastest globally, as highlighted by AMD's own statements and Reuters.

• Transformative Applications in Critical Fields: The new supercomputers, Lux and Discovery, are poised to revolutionize research in several key areas. Energy Secretary Chris Wright expressed hope to Reuters that within five to eight years, many cancers, currently considered death sentences, could become manageable conditions through advanced drug discovery and molecular simulations.

• Advancing Nuclear Fusion and National Security: A primary objective is to accelerate nuclear fusion research, aiming to replicate the sun's energy-generating process on Earth. Furthermore, these systems will enhance national security by aiding in the management of the U.S. nuclear weapons arsenal and supporting defense technologies, according to The Times of India.

• A New Public-Private Partnership Model: The collaboration between the DoE, AMD, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure represents an innovative public-private partnership model. This approach is designed to bring new AI capacity online faster, leveraging industry expertise and capital spending to accelerate national scientific and technological goals, as reported by the Department of Energy.

• Technical Prowess and AI Focus: Lux, the first system, will integrate AMD's Instinct MI355X AI accelerators, CPUs, and networking chips, designed for data-intensive and model-centric AI workloads. Discovery, slated for later deployment, will feature AMD's upcoming MI430 AI chips, combining traditional supercomputing features with advanced AI capabilities, according to siliconangle and Reuters.

• Strategic Imperative for U.S. AI Leadership: This investment is a direct response to the global "AI race," positioning the U.S. to maintain and expand its leadership in artificial intelligence and high-performance computing. AMD CEO Lisa Su emphasized that this initiative provides the U.S. with an early and decisive advantage in deploying frontier AI capabilities, as stated by amd.

• Rapid Deployment and Future Expansion: The Lux AI cluster is set for deployment at ORNL in early 2026, showcasing an unprecedented speed for a project of this scale, as AMD CEO Lisa Su noted to Reuters. The DoE anticipates that this partnership model will be the first of many similar collaborations between national laboratories and private industry.