The United States is poised to significantly enhance its computational research capabilities through a landmark $1 billion partnership between the Department of Energy (DOE) and AMD.[1][2] This collaboration will result in the construction of two next-generation, AI-focused supercomputers, named Lux and Discovery, at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in Tennessee.[3] The initiative represents a strategic public-private investment aimed at propelling American leadership in artificial intelligence, scientific research, and national security.[4][5] The systems are designed to tackle some of the world's most complex challenges, from pioneering new energy sources to developing life-saving medical treatments and bolstering national defense technologies.[6][7] This venture builds upon a history of successful collaborations between AMD and the DOE, which have already produced the world's two fastest supercomputers, Frontier and El Capitan, both of which rely on AMD hardware.[6]

The first of the new systems, Lux, is on a remarkably fast track, expected to become operational within six months and be fully deployed in early 2026.[8][6][3] Billed as the nation's first dedicated "AI Factory" for scientific research, Lux is purpose-built to train, fine-tune, and deploy large-scale AI foundation models.[9][10][3] Its architecture will be an all-AMD affair, featuring the company's Instinct MI355X AI accelerators, EPYC central processing units (CPUs), and Pensando networking technologies.[11][3] Co-developed with Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, Lux is expected to deliver approximately three times the AI performance of today's most powerful supercomputers, providing a critical resource for accelerating discovery in fields such as nuclear fusion and fission, materials science, advanced manufacturing, and grid modernization.[8][4][6] The rapid deployment timeline for a machine of this scale has been highlighted by AMD CEO Lisa Su as a testament to the agility and commitment behind the U.S. AI efforts.[4][6]

Following Lux, the more advanced Discovery supercomputer is scheduled for delivery in 2028 and is expected to be fully operational for users by 2029.[6][1] Discovery is positioned as the DOE's next flagship system at ORNL and will build upon the architectural successes of its predecessors, including the world's first exascale system, Frontier.[3][12] It will feature next-generation AMD hardware, including the upcoming Instinct MI430 AI chips and EPYC CPUs codenamed "Venice".[6][11][10] This system is specifically designed for what is being termed "sovereign AI," ensuring a secure, federated, and standards-based infrastructure for the nation's research and development.[3][2] Discovery aims to deliver dramatically higher performance and energy efficiency, enabling large-scale simulations in energy, biology, and materials science while seamlessly transitioning applications from the Frontier environment.[1][12]

This billion-dollar investment signifies a major vote of confidence in AMD's technology and its growing role in the high-performance computing (HPC) and AI sectors, directly challenging the market dominance of competitors like Nvidia.[9] The partnership employs a novel public-private model where ORNL will host the data centers and provide the necessary energy, while the private partners, including AMD, HPE, and Oracle, will contribute the hardware and software.[8] In return, computing power will be shared between the government and the companies.[8] This approach is part of a broader U.S. strategy to maintain its technological edge, as outlined in the U.S. AI Action Plan, by fostering collaborations that bring together the best of American industry and scientific research.[3][5][2] The initiative is expected to "supercharge" progress in critical areas, accelerating breakthroughs that might otherwise take decades to achieve.[6] Researchers will be able to simulate extraordinarily complex processes, such as plasma dynamics for fusion energy and molecular interactions for drug development, with unprecedented speed and accuracy.[6][7]

In conclusion, the partnership between the DOE and AMD to create the Lux and Discovery supercomputers marks a pivotal moment in the advancement of American scientific and technological infrastructure. These systems are not merely incremental upgrades; they represent a strategic leap forward in computational capability, specifically tailored for the era of artificial intelligence. By establishing a dedicated "AI Factory" and a clear roadmap for next-generation exascale computing, the United States is reinforcing its commitment to solving grand challenges in energy, medicine, and national security.[3][13] The collaboration will empower researchers with tools to turn diseases that are currently "death sentences into manageable conditions" and to harness the power of nuclear fusion, fundamentally reshaping the landscape of scientific discovery and solidifying the nation's leadership role in the global technology race.[6][7]