The UK government has updated their Future of Compute report with 10 recommendations to strengthen the vital area of tech growth in the UK.

According to the report, compute requirements of the largest machine learning models have grown 10 billion times over the last 10 years. Further, the performance of the world’s fastest compute has grown by a factor of 626 since 2010.

In just over a decade, compute powers and requirements have radically transformed, but the report noted that the UK lacks a long-term vision to keep up with the exponentially evolving power that underlies almost all major technology.

As of November 2022, the UK had only 1.3% share of the global compute capacity, and did not have a single system in the top 25 of the Top 500 global systems.

Clearly, the UK is falling behind.

Experts have therefore presented ten recommendations to advance the UK’s compute strategy in an effort to bolster the UK’s overall global technology prowess.

1. A Strategic Vision

Firstly, the UK needs to set a roadmap for the next decade and beyond in order to maintain compute powers to keep up with ever-changing technological requirements.

A major part of this roadmap would be planning for long-term requirements from the get-go to keep up with future system changes and minimise technical debt.

2. Increasing Leadership and Coordination

To ensure the UK’s compute vision is delivered, the current fragmented public infrastructure will need to be revamped. Simplified and strong coordination with clear UK-wide leadership is vital to help both the private and public sectors navigate compute advancements and requirements.

Key to this would be implementing a national coordinating body to deliver and keep the compute roadmap on track.

3. Creating a Stronger Compute Ecosystem 

Enabling an increased and broader use of compute by all users, both existing and potential, would be possible by creating a diverse, healthy, and integrated compute ecosystem.

To do this, the government would have to ensure users have access to the necessary hardware, software, and – importantly – skills to meet their usage requirements.

Building awareness, funding support, and skilled development programmes would stimulate demand and widen the use of compute to create a more varied and pulsating ecosystem.

4. Immediate Investments For Public Exascale Capability 

Exascale capability – technology which makes it possible to process full fibre broadband as well as most AI systems – would be an ‘essential component’ to achieve the UK’s ambitions to be a tech superpower.

The report calls on the UK to deliver full exascale capability by 2026. Currently, the UK’s most powerful system ranks 28th globally.

Investments in this technology would be paired with initiatives to increase home-grown software and engineering skills to align them with advancing exascale capabilities.

5. Improving Public Access

Using cloud’s improved interoperability and procurement capabilities, the public could more readily access compute technology. Currently, public compute infrastructure is only using cloud services on a minimal basis, limiting access to facilities and resources and restricting the sharing of data.

Turning to cloud technology and improving interoperability – by continued UK involvement with the Open Clouds for Research Environments – would be key to enabling better public access to compute technology, allowing for the better use of data.

6. Increase Compute Capacity for AI Research

As part of some immediate action the UK can take now, the report recommends that the government significantly increases the compute capacity to improve AI research capabilities.

As soon as summer 2023, a UK AI Research Resource should be established for use by both academic and commercial AI developers.

Continuous, sustained investment in AI accelerators is also vital to keep the UK competitive in the global compute stage.

7. Manage Sustainability 

Mastering the balancing act of the environmental impact of compute’s energy demand while balancing service deliver will be a difficult task without support.

Creating planning guidance to develop sustainable compute infrastructure will be vital in minimising the carbon footprints of technical advancements for both software and hardware.

Procurement targets should be ambitious to improve the longevity and sustainability of new compute tech, and training should be provided to promote sustainable practices.

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8. Attracting and Retaining Talent

Investing in attracting and retaining more world-class tech talent is vital to the UK’s ambitions for the industry.

Widening the pipeline of people with compute skills by supporting broader digital skills and talent as part of the Digital Strategy is a part of this vital recommendation.

Ensuring infrastructure investments are matched by having top talent and skilled staff to operate new facilities would be enabled by skill training programmes, as well as international collaboration for training and staff exchange.

9. Securing Compute

The government needs to ensure best practice is being followed to secure and protect the UK’s compute infrastructure.

New systems should be designed with the support of security principles developed by the National Cyber Security Centre.

10. International Collaboration

While the UK focuses on building and strengthening its own compute ecosystem, it should work with international partners to complement these domestic systems.

Exploring these international partnerships, including existing ones with the US, Japan, and the EU, could also lessen costs of procurements and lower technological risks.

Overall, within the next decade the UK should focus on becoming a global leader in compute as part of its ambitions to become a Science and Technology Superpower.