Full Breakdown
AMD and Eviden to Build Europe's Second Exascale Supercomputer
11/20/2025, 4:58:46 PM
Overview of the Alice Recoque Project
AMD, in collaboration with Eviden, has been selected to construct Alice Recoque, Europe's second exascale supercomputer, which will be based in France. This project, with a total cost of €554 million, is funded by the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking, the Digital Europe Programme, and the Jules Verne Consortium, which includes partners from France, the Netherlands, and Greece. Alice Recoque is expected to exceed one exaflop of performance, significantly enhancing high-performance computing (HPC) and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities in Europe.
Technical Specifications and Capabilities
The Alice Recoque supercomputer will utilize AMD's next-generation EPYC 'Venice' CPUs, which may feature up to 256 cores, and the Instinct MI430X GPUs, designed for both HPC and AI workloads. The system will consist of 94 racks based on Eviden's BullSequana XH3500 architecture, employing a unique BXI interconnect technology for efficient resource linking. The GPUs will support advanced AI data formats, including FP4 and FP8, and will be equipped with 432 GB of HBM4 memory and a bandwidth of 19.6 TB/s. The system is designed to handle a diverse range of scientific applications, including climate modeling, energy sciences, and medical research.
Funding and Strategic Importance
The project represents a strategic investment in Europe's technological sovereignty in AI and HPC. AMD's collaboration with Eviden aims to position Europe as a leader in scientific research and industrial simulation. The funding structure involves contributions from multiple European entities, emphasizing a collaborative approach to advancing supercomputing capabilities on the continent.
Criticism and Opposition
While the project has been largely welcomed, some critics express concerns regarding the reliance on AMD technology, particularly in the context of competition with established players like NVIDIA. The challenge remains for AMD to maintain momentum and credibility in the rapidly evolving AI semiconductor market.
Official Statements
Dan McNamara, AMD's Senior Vice President and General Manager of Compute & Enterprise AI, stated, "The Alice Recoque supercomputer represents a major step forward for European sovereign AI, uniting national ambition, regional collaboration, and AMD's high-performance and AI compute technologies." Emmanuel Le Roux, Group SVP at Eviden, emphasized that Alice Recoque will empower researchers and industries across Europe, addressing pressing societal challenges.
What's Next for Alice Recoque
The Alice Recoque supercomputer is expected to be operational by 2027 or 2028, following the market introduction of the Venice CPUs and MI430X accelerators in 2026. The project will serve as a critical resource for researchers and industrial users, supporting a variety of projects that require substantial computational power.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We are committed to enabling the next generation of innovation across AI and HPC,” — Dan McNamara, Senior Vice President, AMD
This initiative not only marks a significant advancement in Europe's supercomputing landscape but also reflects AMD's strategic positioning in the competitive AI and HPC markets.
