Georgia Tech Partners with NVIDIA for AI Makerspace Hub
April 25, 2024
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Cheryl Martin, director of Higher Education and Research at NVIDIA says, “Georgia Tech’s AI Makerspace will provide students with access to NVIDIA’s accelerated computing platform, equipping them with the technology to push the boundaries of AI learning and research.”
Atlanta, Georgia. The Georgia Institute of Technology, in collaboration with NVIDIA, unveiled its AI Makerspace, a purpose-built AI supercomputer hub for instructing students. At first, the focus will be on Georgia Tech’s undergraduates*. The space gives access to computing resources usually prioritized for research in hopes of deepening Georgia Tech students’ AI skills and shape the future of AI systems professionals.
Image Credit: Georgia Institute of Technology
"Today's launch of the AI Makerspace represents another milestone in Georgia Tech's legacy of innovation and leadership in education,” said Raheem Beyah, dean of the College of Engineering Southern Company Chair. “Thanks to NVIDIA's advanced technology and expertise, our students at all levels have a path to make significant contributions and lead in the rapidly evolving field of AI.”
AI Makerspace utilizes NVIDIA AI Enterprise software allowing students access online. The software technology is embedded on an advanced AI infrastructure designed, built, and deployed by Penguin Solutions. It provides a virtual gateway to an advanced AI computing environment similar to the design used by researchers in higher education and industry.
The first phase consists of 20 NVIDIA HGX H100 systems, containing 160 NVIDIA H100 Tensor Core GPUs (graphics processing units). According to the press release, it is one of the most powerful computational accelerators capable of advanced AI and machine learning. The platform is connected with NVIDIA Quantum-2 InfiniBand, featuring in-network computing.
Image Credit: Georgia Institute of Technology
According to the press release, to put this computational power into scale, it would take a single NVIDIA H100 GPU one second to create a multiplication operation that would take 50,000 students 22 years to accomplish.
“The AI Makerspace represents a significant advancement in technology for education,” explains Arijit Raychowdhury, professor and Steve W. Chaddick School Chair of Electrical and Computer Engineering. “To draw a comparison, the makerspace will provide a technological upgrade equivalent to switching from an etch-a-sketch to an iPad. That’s the level of difference in technology that the AI Makerspace provides to students.”
NVIDIA Deep Learning Institute resources supports faculty-run NVIDIA workshops, certifications, a university ambassador program, curriculum-aided teaching kits, and a developer community network.
The university also released news on two recent “AI for Engineering” statements comprising of the unveiling of Georgia Tech’s first minor degree program in AI and machine learning, as well as the re-imagining and creation of 14 core AI courses for undergrads. “AI is increasingly interdisciplinary and an irreversibly important part of today’s workforce,” continues Raychowdhury “To meet the needs of tomorrow’s innovation, we need a diverse workforce proficient in utilizing AI across all levels.”
Image Credit: Georgia Institute of Technology
“The City of Atlanta commends the leadership of Georgia Tech and the College of Engineering in advancing education and technology through the AI Makerspace,” said Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens. “Partnerships with industry leaders such as NVIDIA propel our students and workforce toward tomorrow, further enhancing Atlanta's status as an innovation hub.”
For more information, visit https://ece.gatech.edu/
*Undergraduate students currently enrolled in ECE 4252: Fundamentals of Machine Learning (FunML) are accessing the Georgia Tech AI Makerspace to learn, experiment, prototype, and showcase their AI-driven ideas at scale. This fall, the AI Makerspace will be incorporated into the curriculum of all eight schools in the College of Engineering. By spring 2025, all Georgia Tech engineering students — both undergraduate and graduate — will have access to non-instructional learning. In 2026, Georgia Tech plans to set up the AI Makerspace Omniverse, a sandbox for augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). The education and research hub is based on NVIDIA Omniverse, a platform for connecting and developing 3D tools and applications, and will be available to all students.
Chad Cox. Production Editor, Embedded Computing Design, has responsibilities that include handling the news cycle, newsletters, social media, and advertising. Chad graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a B.A. in Cultural and Analytical Literature.
