Los Alamos National Laboratory’s Venado supercomputer, the 19th-fastest supercomputer in the world, is now running OpenAI’s latest O-series reasoning models to enhance national security research.
The Department of Energy said Thursday the Venado, powered by the NVIDIA GH200 Grace Hopper Superchips, functions as a collaborative platform for National Nuclear Security Administration laboratory researchers where they can share resources.
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Transition to National Security Research
During its inaugural year, Venado enabled researchers to make significant advancements in materials science and design, DNA and disease treatment and energy grid resilience. The recent development, which follows the supercomputer’s move to a classified network early in 2025, aligns with a shift in focus to advancing science for national security applications. This includes plutonium aging, biological threats guardrails and other national security research areas.
Building Strategic Government-Industry Partnership
Since its launch in 2024, Venado has fostered collaboration between national laboratories and the artificial intelligence industry. Los Alamos was among the first to forge partnerships with companies like NVIDIA and OpenAI. This paved the way for integrating AI models into classified systems to enhance national security research.
Comments From NNSA Executive
“We are currently harnessing our premier computing power to support AI integration by analyzing diagnostic data, optimizing experimental designs and improving our facility operations. Los Alamos’ new partnership with OpenAI will assist Los Alamos, Lawrence Livermore and Sandia national laboratories with our most pressing national security problems,” said Acting NNSA Administrator Teresa Robbins.
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