Stories from a sovereign AI supercomputer
From dementia to dairy farming, financial forecasting to frontier AI safety, teams across the UK have logged millions of GPU hours on Isambard-AI, turning compute into real breakthroughs.
BriCS News
Japan and UK strengthen supercomputing connections as RIKEN visit Bristol
Globally influential figures in the world of AI supercomputing, from Japan and the UK, brought their teams together to forge closer personal connections, share challenges and explore innovations.
One year of Isambard-AI, the UK's fastest AI supercomputer
Ask every person on Earth, all 8bn, to do one calculation every second, all day, every day, for 80 years. That's what it would take to match what Isambard-AI can do in a single second. It's the analogy Professor Simon McIntosh-Smith reaches for when he wants to explain how much computing power the supercomputer holds.
Stories from a sovereign AI supercomputer
From dementia to dairy farming, financial forecasting to frontier AI safety, teams across the UK have logged millions of GPU hours on Isambard-AI, turning compute into real breakthroughs.
Powered by People series: AI-powered financial forecasts that deliver real returns
In this article, Hewlett Packard Enterprise speak to Isambard-AI user, Eghbal Rahimkia, Assistant Professor in Financial Technology, Alliance Manchester Business School at the University of Manchester, as a part of their Digital Game Changers series.
Bristol Centre for Supercomputing receives National Infrastructure Excellence Award
The UK Cancer Vaccine AI Scientist & Supercomputing Project has presented its National Infrastructure Excellence Award to the Bristol Centre for Supercomputing (BriCS) team, recognising their outstanding contribution to advancing artificial intelligence, scientific discovery and cancer vaccine research across the United Kingdom.
How we built the UK's sovereign AI supercomputing stack
Isambard-AI has been developed using open-source software, open standards and community-driven technologies. This approach provides the flexibility to adopt future innovations without rebuilding the entire platform.
UK Sovereign AI: A Big Week for British Compute
BriCS User Engagement Manager, Andy Hazell, writes up the key announcements and headlines from London Tech Week 2026
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Inside the UK’s most powerful AI supercomputer
Isambard-AI combines highly advanced systems architecture and rapid deployment with world-leading sovereign AI stack to deliver the UK’s most powerful AI computing capability.
BriCS leaders recognised among world's most influential figures in scientific computing
We are celebrating the inclusion of our Director, Professor Simon McIntosh-Smith, and Chief Technology Officer, Dr Sadaf Alam, in the inaugural SCW75 list, launched this week by Scientific Computing World.
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Isambard-AI supercomputer powers £500m UK Sovereign AI fund
Sovereign AI is the UK Government’s bet to back homegrown AI founders to drive growth and create jobs across the UK.
AI Minister takes the stage with global tech giants as UK AI partnerships shine at University of Bristol summit
Researchers, policymakers and technology leaders have gathered in Bristol this week for the Isambard Summit 2026 (IS26), showcasing how investment in AI and advanced computing is helping deliver the UK Government’s growth and industrial strategy.
England's mayors and ministers gather in West Country for first time
The West of England's Mayor welcomed ministers and fellow mayors for the first time to the West Innovation Arc Growth Zone - the fastest growing part of the West, which is itself the country's fastest growing regional economy. The Mayoral Council was today hosted in South Gloucestershire at NCC, the University of Bristol's world-leading research and development centre.
UK’s fastest supercomputer and the future of robotics showcased as the Prince of Wales visits Bristol
The Prince of Wales learnt about the incredible research and innovation taking place at the University of Bristol when he visited two of its world-leading research facilities today (22 January).
BriCS sponsored ‘Isambards’ SCC team come top in AI benchmarking at SC25
Our student cluster team, the 'Isambards' made history at this year's SC25 conference in St Louis, Missouri, by being the first UK-based team to compete in the in-person student cluster competition (SCC).
Bristol is home to the world’s fastest university-based supercomputer
The University of Bristol has cemented its position as a world-leading university for AI education and research, following the launch of Isambard-AI, the world’s fastest university-based supercomputer.
Isambard-AI: Built for breakthroughs, Powered by people.
We speak to three researchers based at University of Bristol who are using Isambard-AI to address critical healthcare challenges, across dementia, skin cancer, cardiac disease and more.
An evening with regional AI innovators and Darren Jones MP
At an intimate gathering of policymakers, technologists, and regional leaders, BriCS welcomed the opportunity to speak directly and candidly about the future of AI innovation in the West of England and the infrastructure needed to support it.
Powered by People series: Understanding skin tone bias in cancer detecting AI
Working at speeds 100,000 times faster than the average laptop and able to process in one second what it would take the entire global population 80 years to achieve, Isambard-AI offers huge potential in fields such as robotics, big data, climate research and drug discovery.
Powered by People series: Understanding diseases using Isambard-AI
Working at speeds 100,000 times faster than the average laptop and able to process in one second what it would take the entire global population 80 years to achieve, Isambard-AI offers huge potential in fields such as robotics, big data, climate research and drug discovery.
UK’s most powerful supercomputer launches in Bristol
Faster, more accurate cancer diagnoses and new clean-energy innovations are some of the key breakthroughs now closer to reality as the UK’s most powerful AI supercomputer launches in Bristol today.
UK-France Summit: University of Bristol to lead a supercomputing partnership with France
A new and unique supercomputing collaboration between the UK and France was announced at the UK-France Summit today (10 July).
Isambard-AI is 11th fastest supercomputer in the world
We’re excited to share that Isambard-AI, the UK’s most powerful AI supercomputer, has been ranked in the top 15 of the world’s fastest supercomputers by the prestigious TOP500 list, and also recognised as one of the greenest by the Green500.
Lifting the lid on Isambard-AI, the UK’s fastest AI supercomputer
As the doors open at ISC 2025 in Hamburg, we’re incredibly proud to share what’s been quietly taking shape in Bristol, UK. Introducing Isambard-AI, the UK’s fastest AI supercomputer and one of Europe’s most advanced AI-focused systems.
Speed in every sense: Isambard-AI prepares to power up
Within 12 months of breaking ground, BriCS have defied the odds of complex, conventional supercomputer builds and are gearing up to power on the UK's fastest AI supercomputer.
Isambard-AI: Why we optimised the UK’s fastest supercomputer for AI
Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the way we approach complex problems, from developing lifesaving drugs to modelling the impacts of climate change. Powering this progress requires more than smart algorithms, it demands serious computing capability.
OpenCHAMI joins HPSF: advancing open-source innovation for high-performance computing
We’re proud to announce that OpenCHAMI—a powerful toolkit for managing high-performance computing (HPC) systems—has become the first non-founding project to officially join the High-Performance Software Foundation (HPSF)
AIUK Round-up: UK Minister for AI and Digital visits Isambard-AI stand
Colleagues from the Bristol Centre for Supercomputing (BriCS) were proud to showcase Isambard-AI at AIUK 2025, giving attendees a first-hand look at the UK’s fastest AI supercomputer.
The Bristol Centre for Supercomputing Hosts Isambard Day 2025
The Bristol Centre for Supercomputing (BriCS) hosted a landmark event at The Bristol Hotel on March 11th and 12th.
Hewlett Packard Enterprise leaders visit Isambard-AI
The Bristol Centre for Supercomputing (BriCS) hosted senior executives from Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) for an exclusive visit to the Isambard supercomputing facility at the National Composites Centre (NCC).
University of Bristol team selected to represent the UK at ISC Student Cluster Competition
The Bristol Centre for Supercomputing (BriCS) team, led by PhD student Joseph Moore, has been selected as the only UK-based team to compete in-person at the prestigious ISC 2025 Student Cluster Competition.
University of Bristol invited to British Ambassador’s Residence in Paris
Professor Simon McIntosh-Smith, Director of the Bristol Centre for Supercomputing (BriCS) at University of Bristol, was invited to attend the UK government's "AI for Growth" reception at the British Ambassador's Residence in Paris on February 6th.
University of Bristol supercomputer will help UK become ‘technological superpower’
The UK’s fastest supercomputer Isambard-AI will play a major role in advancing the nation’s AI capabilities.