On December 23, Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) and Huawei jointly unveiled the Zhiyuan-1, a large-scale intelligent computing platform touted as China’s largest domestically built AI computing infrastructure for universities. This initiative aims to bolster the academic landscape by providing advanced computing resources tailored for high-end research and educational purposes.
Zhiyuan-1 boasts an impressive peak computing power of 633 PFLOPS and a storage capacity of 13 PB. Designed to facilitate on-campus training of large models with hundreds of billions of parameters, the platform follows a university-level centralized construction model that streamlines computing resources, avoiding redundancy across departments. This strategic approach enables unified scheduling and optimal allocation of computing resources, enhancing overall efficiency.
The hardware architecture is built on Huawei Kunpeng CPU servers and Ascend AI accelerators. Access to the platform is managed through SJTU’s unified portal, dubbed “JiaoWoSuan”, which provides a streamlined interface for computing resource applications and task management, catering to both faculty and students. Remarkably, since the project’s launch in December 2024, SJTU successfully deployed a 1,000-card Ascend AI cluster in under one year, showcasing the rapid development and implementation of this cutting-edge technology.
Zhiyuan-1 is already making significant contributions to pioneering research initiatives. For instance, the platform has enabled the research team led by Xiao Xiang to analyze ultra-high-throughput multi-omics data from deep-sea microorganisms found in the Mariana Trench. This work has resulted in a remarkable improvement in algorithm efficiency by more than nine times. Additionally, the platform has supported Liu Yingbin’s team in the development of GBC Seeker, a large model aimed at early-stage gallbladder cancer diagnosis, which has enhanced preoperative diagnostic accuracy to an impressive 93.3%.
SJTU emphasizes that Zhiyuan-1 is a cornerstone of China’s AI Industry–Education Integration Program. As part of its broader educational strategy, the university has initiated its “AI Ten Measures” strategy, which includes the transformation of over 500 courses to incorporate AI-driven methodologies. Besides supporting the fifth paradigm of AI for Science, the platform is positioned as a scalable reference model for the establishment of intelligent computing centers across Chinese universities.
The introduction of Zhiyuan-1 not only reflects advancements in AI technology but also signifies a commitment to enhancing educational resources in China. As universities continue to integrate sophisticated AI tools, the landscape for academic research and applications is poised for substantial evolution. The implications extend beyond the university setting, potentially impacting various sectors by fostering a new generation of scholars and professionals equipped with state-of-the-art computational capabilities.
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