Iran to launch national GPU farm for AI training by late September
Iran’s vice president for Science, Technology and Knowledge-Based Economy said the country’s national GPU farm for artificial intelligence will be operational by late September, despite minor delays.
Hossein Afshin told reporters on Saturday that the necessary equipment for AI infrastructure had been procured and efforts were under way to bring all GPUs online by late September, ISNA reported.
“There may be a slight delay due to the country’s circumstances, but the AI infrastructure — including the AI platform and AI assistant — is being pursued with determination and strength,” Afshin said, noting “very positive developments” over the past year.
Iran’s global/regional ranking in AI
Citing scientific output, Afshin said Iran’s ranking in the Nature index had improved from 33rd to 30th globally, thanks to professors, PhD students and postdoctoral researchers. He stressed that the focus was on quality over quantity of publications.
Iran’s regional ranking currently fluctuates between 14th and 17th, sometimes ahead of or behind Turkey and Saudi Arabia. Afshin said the government was aiming for a “scientific leap” within one to two years.
“We have no concern over this because our focus is on quality. With the activities underway at the Science Foundation, we hope to achieve a scientific leap in the next one to two years similar to that of the past decade,” he said.
Afshin also announced free AI training programs for around 2 million students that began in early summer. The initiative, he said, aims to strengthen domestic human resources, with recorded courses to be made widely available by year-end.
He added that quantum courses would be offered from early late September in 12 universities across 16 fields.
“Education must come first, and when human resources feel they can receive all necessary training domestically and flourish, an environment will be created for them to remain in the country,” Afshin said.