Key Takeaways
- Dell and Nvidia will together provide architecture for the next set of supercomputers, named Doudna, for the US Department of Energy.
- Dell will focus more on sustainable hardware and cooling systems, while Nvidia will provide its AI architecture, including the Vera Rubin AI chips.
- The US Department of Energy wants to focus more on the sustainable development of AI, hence the choice of environment-conscious companies.
The US Department of Energy said that Dell’s next batch of supercomputers will be delivered with Nvidia’s ‘Vera Rubin’ AI chips, marking the beginning of a new era of AI dominance in research. The said systems are expected to be 10x faster than the current batch of supercomputers, which HP provided.
The supercomputer will be named ‘Doudna,’ after Jennifer Doudna, a Nobel Prize winner who made key contributions in CRISPR gene-editing.
Supercomputers have been instrumental in key scientific discoveries in the last few decades and also played a big role in the design and maintenance of the U.S. nuclear weapons arsenal. And now, with the introduction of artificial intelligence, we’re heading towards a new decade of faster and more efficient scientific research.
It (supercomputers) is the foundation of scientific discovery for our country. It is also a foundation for economic and technological leadership. And with that, national security – Nvidia CEO, Jensen Huang
Dell Going All in on AI
This isn’t the first time Dell and Nvidia have come together to develop newer AI solutions. Back in March 2024, Dell announced the Dell AI Factory with NVIDIA, an end-to-end enterprise AI solution designed for businesses.
This joint venture used Dell’s infrastructure, such as servers, storage, and networking, combined with NVIDIA’s AI architecture and technologies such as GPUs, DPUs, and AI software.
Image Credit – Dell
For instance, the Dell PowerEdge server uses NVIDIA’s full AI stack to provide enterprises with solutions required for a wide range of AI applications, including speech recognition, cybersecurity, recommendation systems, and language-based services.
The demand for Dell’s AI servers has also increased, reaching $12.1B in the first quarter of 2025, with a total backlog of $14.4B, which suggests a strong future demand and order book. The company has set a bold profit forecast between $28.5B and $29.5B, as against the analysts’ prediction of $ 25.05 B.
With Doudna, Dell is well-positioned to lead the next generation of supercomputers in AI research, invention, and discoveries.
Focus on Energy Efficiency
Seagate has warned about the unprecedented increase in demand for AI data storage in the coming few years, which is a significant challenge to the sustainability of AI data centers. Global data volume is expected to increase threefold by 2028.
Image Credit – DIGITIMES Asian
The data storage industry currently produces only 1-2 zettabytes (1 zettabyte equals 1 trillion gigabytes) of storage annually, which is much lower than what would be required in the next 4-5 years.
At the same time, Goldman Sachs predicts that power requirements will also go up by 165% by 2030 due to increasing demand for AI data centers. This calls for a more sustainable approach for the supercomputing industry as well.
Dell will use its proprietary technologies, such as Direct Liquid Cooling, the PowerCool eRDHx, and Smart Flow design in the Doudna, ensuring energy efficiency.
- Direct Liquid Cooling (DLC) increased computing density by supporting more cores per rack, which reduces cooling costs by as much as 45%.
- Dell’s PowerCool eRDHx is a self-contained airflow design that can capture 100% of the heat generated by IT systems. This reduces the dependency on expensive chillers, as eRDHx can work in usual temperatures of 32 and 36 degrees Celsius, leading to 60% savings in cooling energy costs.
- Lastly, the Dell Smart Flow design improves airflow within IT components and reduces the fan power by 52%. This leads to better performance with fewer cooling requirements.
- Besides this, Dell plans to incorporate Leak Sense Technology. If a coolant leak occurs, the system’s leak sensor will log an alert in the iDRAC system so that swift action can be taken.
As per a report titled ‘Energy and AI’ by the IEA, the data center electricity demand will increase to 945 terawatt-hours (TWh) by 2030. For comparison, this is more than the total electricity consumption of Japan today.
The US alone will consume more electricity in 2030 for processing data than for manufacturing all energy-intensive goods combined, including aluminum, steel, cement, and chemicals.
Therefore, the need to develop sustainable AI data centers and supercomputers cannot be highlighted enough. Dell’s technology-focused, sustainable approach can be a pivotal point in how efficiently we use AI in the next decade.
The US Department of Energy’s choice of Dell also seems to be a conscious move to shift towards companies that give importance to sustainability and can vouch for the long-term viability of research-intensive AI setups.
Krishi is a seasoned tech journalist with over four years of experience writing about PC hardware, consumer technology, and artificial intelligence. Clarity and accessibility are at the core of Krishi’s writing style.
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