OpenAI announced Thursday a groundbreaking partnership with Los Alamos National Laboratory to integrate its latest artificial intelligence models into the lab’s supercomputers for national security research.
The collaboration will see OpenAI’s newest o-series models installed on Venado, a supercomputer powered by Nvidia superchips. The system will be transitioned to a secure, classified network, where researchers from Los Alamos, Lawrence Livermore, and Sandia National Laboratories will leverage its capabilities for scientific and security-focused advancements.
“We care a lot about AI and science, we’ve talked about this for a very long time,” OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said in the announcement. “This is what we think will be one of the most important impacts of AI long-term. If we can use AI to help drive scientific progress, then I think it can drive huge forward progress for the country.”
Los Alamos National Laboratory Director Thom Mason emphasized the importance of AI in national security. “As threats to the nation become more complex and more pressing, we need new approaches and advanced technologies to preserve America’s security,” Mason said in a statement. “Artificial intelligence models from OpenAI will allow us to do this more successfully, while also advancing our scientific missions to solve some of the nation’s most important challenges.”
According to OpenAI, the AI models will assist researchers in detecting and preventing diseases, identifying cybersecurity threats, and managing the nation’s natural resources. The technology is also expected to play a crucial role in nuclear security efforts.
The announcement follows a prior collaboration between OpenAI and Los Alamos last summer, in which they assessed potential risks related to bioweapon development. The partnership also comes just days after OpenAI introduced ChatGPT Gov, a version of its AI model designed for use by federal agencies handling sensitive information.
