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University of Florida Partners with NVIDIA for $24M HiPerGator AI Supercomputer Upgrade

• By John K. Waters
• 12/15/2024

The University of Florida (UF) Board of Trustees has approved a $24 million investment to upgrade its flagship HiPerGator supercomputer. The new machine, expected to arrive in early 2025, will feature next-generation technology not yet available on the market.

The initiative continues a longstanding collaboration between UF and NVIDIA, the technology giant co-founded by UF alumnus Chris Malachowsky. HiPerGator, introduced in 2021, remains the fastest AI supercomputer in higher education. The name "HiPerGator" stands for "High-Performance Gator," an inevitable reference to the school's mascot, the Florida Gator. The upgraded system will power UF’s research, teaching, and outreach programs, including AI-driven solutions for climate change, medical cost management, and early disease detection.

"This investment not only helps UF and the state of Florida, it also aligns perfectly with UF’s role as a leading public land-grant institution," said Interim UF President Kent Fuchs in a blog post. "The new iteration of HiPerGator will significantly broaden our ability to collaborate with other universities, support their researchers, and, indeed, fuel many more important new discoveries."

This acquisition will make UF one of the first higher education institutions in the U.S. to adopt the NVIDIA DGX SuperPOD with B200 systems, complete with the NVIDIA AI Enterprise software platform and cutting-edge Quantum-2 InfiniBand networking.

The new HiPerGator will replace the current NVIDIA DGX SuperPOD system donated by Malachowsky, providing a significant performance boost for the system. Early users will gain access in mid-2025, with full availability anticipated by the fall semester, the university says.

UF’s AI infrastructure supports more than 6,000 researchers and underpins initiatives such as Navigator AI, a generative AI tool launched this year. The supercomputer is also pivotal for educational projects that integrate AI across UF’s curriculum and support workforce training programs.

"The University of Florida’s commitment to excellence means that we will always work on the cutting edge of innovation," said Board of Trustees Chair Mori Hosseini in a blog post. "With this new groundbreaking technology, UF will continue to lead the way nationally and bring tremendous value to the state of Florida. Students, faculty, staff, and researchers throughout Florida will have access to this incredible resource and use it to help solve some of the world’s greatest problems." 

HiPerGator has a number of cutting-edge projects, including a digital twin for UF Health Cancer Center, flooding simulations for Jacksonville, and financial market tracking tools. These efforts align with UF’s vision to infuse AI across disciplines and build a workforce pipeline to enhance U.S. global competitiveness.

"The University of Florida has been a pioneer in providing AI infrastructure to its students and making that infrastructure available across its curriculum and throughout the region," Malachowsky said in a statement. "With this new HiPerGator NVIDIA DGX SuperPOD with DGX B200 systems, UF will provide students and faculty with an exquisite tool to supercharge AI research, discovery, and innovation across many disciplines — helping train the next generation of AI leaders."

Since partnering with NVIDIA in 2020, UF has hired more than 100 AI-focused professors, expanded AI research across the State University System, and incorporated AI education into K-12 and professional development programs.

With an economic impact exceeding $1.26 billion annually, UF’s research enterprise ranks among the nation’s educational AI elite, powered in large part by HiPerGator. In fact, the university’s AI initiatives have become a national model, drawing praise for their breadth and impact. The HiPerGator upgrade signals a bold step on the university's path toward its stated goal of becoming the first "AI university."