SoftBank Corp. has unveiled a groundbreaking DGX SuperPOD featuring DGX B200 systems, powered by over 4,000 NVIDIA Blackwell graphics processing units (GPUs). This formidable setup solidifies SoftBank’s position as the owner of the largest NVIDIA DGX SuperPOD worldwide equipped with DGX B200 systems. With the addition of NVIDIA Quantum-2 InfiniBand networking, this AI computing platform now boasts an impressive total of more than 10,000 GPUs, delivering a staggering computing power of 13.7 exaflops.
A New Frontier in AI Development
The advanced capabilities of this platform are set to be harnessed by SB Intuitions Corp., a subsidiary focused on developing large language models (LLMs) designed specifically for the Japanese language. In fiscal year 2024, SB Intuitions aims to build LLMs boasting around 460 billion parameters, with a commercial model dubbed “Sarashina mini” anticipated to launch by March 31, 2026, featuring 70 billion parameters. Leveraging the upgraded computing power, SoftBank is on a mission to accelerate the development of increasingly vast and sophisticated models that could revolutionize Japanese-language applications.
Scaling New Heights in AI Performance
SoftBank’s venture into AI computing is not new; they initially deployed a DGX SuperPOD with over 2,000 NVIDIA Ampere GPUs back in September 2023, achieving a performance benchmark of 0.7 exaflops. The journey, however, has been anything but stagnant. In October 2024, the company made headlines again by augmenting its capabilities with over 4,000 NVIDIA Hopper GPUs, catapulting the overall performance to an eye-watering 4.7 exaflops. It seems that in the race of AI, SoftBank has put its best foot forward — or, to be more precise, its best GPU!
Building an AI Ecosystem
The construction of this state-of-the-art AI computing platform has earned certification for supply assurance from Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) as part of a Cloud Program under the Economic Security Promotion Act. This seal of approval underscores SoftBank’s intent to bolster the burgeoning generative AI (GenAI) development ecosystem. The company aims to provide computational resources not only for its internal projects but also extend this infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) model to other enterprises and research institutions throughout Japan, fostering growth and innovation across the sector.
Questions & Answers
What is the significance of SoftBank’s new DGX SuperPOD?
SoftBank’s new DGX SuperPOD positions it as a leader in AI capabilities, boasting the largest platform of its kind in the world and dramatically enhancing its computational power to support advanced AI model development.
How will SB Intuitions utilize this AI computing platform?
SB Intuitions plans to use the upgraded platform to develop large language models tailored to the Japanese market, aiming for innovative applications and commercial releases in the coming years.
What role does the Japanese government play in SoftBank’s AI initiatives?
The Japanese government has certified SoftBank’s AI computing platform for supply assurance, supporting the development of critical technology under the Economic Security Promotion Act, which helps ensure a secure and robust technological infrastructure in Japan.