Brazil’s AI Supercomputer Initiative
Brazil is building two AI supercomputers, one with Chinese involvement and another with American participation. The country has allocated 2.3bn reais (approximately $444 million) for this project.
Split Between Huawei and Nvidia
- Huawei Technologies in collaboration with iFlytek will construct a system worth 1.3bn reais ($251 million) in Rio de Janeiro, focusing on training large language models. This project is scheduled to commence in July 2027.
- The second supercomputer, expected to be built by Nvidia, will cost around 1bn reais ($193 million) and will locate in Rio Grande do Norte, utilizing the state’s abundant wind and solar energy resources. It is set to be operational by the end of 2027.
Strategies and Considerations
The Brazilian government has stated their strategy "not to depend on a single company, technology, or country." This approach aims to provide insulation against policy changes and technological shifts. The decision to split the work between two architectures comes with costs, including separate software stacks and engineering teams, but it ensures Brazil maintains control over its AI infrastructure.
Global Context
- American Export Controls: Brazil must navigate US export rules regarding Nvidia hardware, especially considering recent changes in controls.
- Chinese Alternatives: The country also considers the evolving Chinese domestic alternative using custom silicon rather than GPUs.
- Global Comparison: While the Brazilian sums are modest compared to global initiatives, this project represents the largest AI compute commitment in Latin America, emphasizing the region’s growing importance in data center investments.
Sovereignty, a key word in the announcement, underscores Brazil’s ambition to control its AI future and avoid becoming dependent on foreign technologies and policies.