“Calabria is a candidate to host a new HPC, a super-computer for artificial intelligence and quantum calculation”. Is the proposal launched by the vice -president of the Calabria Region with delegation to the digital transition, Filippo Pietropaolo, who is participating in the World Artificial Intelligence Festival in Cannes, an international importance event dedicated to the new frontiers of artificial intelligence. On the sidelines of the Pietropaolo event, he advanced a strategic proposal for the creation of a high-performance computing (HPC) in Calabria, underlining how the Region can play a key role in the strengthening of the digital infrastructures of Italy and the European Union.
“Artificial intelligence – continued Pietropaolo – is transforming every area of our society, public and private. In this context, The use of the AI in administrative procedures can determine a real paradigm change in the management of public administration and services for citizens. However, in order to work at best, the IA needs an advanced calculation capacity, provided by supercalculators known as HPC. Italy is already a world reference point in the sector, with the third global pole for the Supercalcolo and the second most powerful supercomputer in the world at the Cineca in Bologna. However, there is the need to expand this network, and Calabria represents a strategic opportunity for the implementation of a new HPC “.
Vice -president Pietropaolo also underlined how Calabria is an ideal region to host a infrastructure of this type thanks to two fundamental factors: the energy availability from renewable sources and the presence of water resources necessary for the cooling of the data centers in a sustainable way.
“Currently, 86% of the regional energy needs are satisfied with renewable sources, an element – he said – that Calabria would position as a sustainable pole for high technology. I propose that the European Union and the National Government support the creation of an HPC in Calabria, as an integral part of a country’s digital development strategy. This project would allow you to attract investments and support an innovative ecosystem for startups and small medium -sized enterprises which is being growing in strong growth in Calabria, with the activity of an increasing number of small and large companies in the sector, the contribution of the university system starting from the University of Cosenza, and with the commitment of the region that is aiming for the creation of the in -house company for digital and an academy capable of training the professionalism that can find employment opportunities for quality in the fields of advanced technologies, hardware and systems. The initiative can be part of the largest Italian digital transformation strategy, promoted by the Department of Digital Transformation and by Undersecretary Alessio Butti, which includes a national strategy for quantum, entrusted Serafino Sorrenti, Chief Information Security Officer of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers and Italian representative at the European Union of the “Quantum Technology Coordinator Group”.
Comparing himself with Sorrenti, the commissioner Pietropaolo reiterated the will of Calabria to make his territory and infrastructures available to support national quantum strategy also through the creation of a high -level data center in Calabria.
“This infrastructure – concludes Pietropaolo – would serve to meet the super calculation needs that our country needs, essential both for technological innovation (AI) and for safety. Our goal is to bring Calabria to the center of the digital future of the nation “.