Two days ago, the Chinese Academy of Engineering and other units released the top ten engineering achievements in the world in 2023, among which ChatGPT topped the list, which is well deserved. Over the past decade, we have witnessed the development of large models in full swing.
However, in the process of AI in full swing, the shortage of computing power supply has always existed, making many enterprises and university research institutes feel the chill of "no computing power" from time to time.
Can't grab the hash card, ** volatile and expensive, the global ** chain sometimes has a tense situation ......AI-related basic models, smart applications, and services are all built on top of computing infrastructure. To ensure that the fire of the AI industry continues to burn, is China's computing power industry ready?
On December 19th, I went to the Lenovo Innovation Industrial Park in Binhai, Tianjin, visited the Lenovo Future Center and the Zero Carbon Factory, and participated in the "Intelligent Computing Unlimited Full-Stack Intelligence Lenovo Computing Infrastructure New Product Tasting Meeting", witnessing the release of three series of new products.
In the North China Plain, which is covered in silver, I saw that Chinese computing power manufacturers are igniting computing power engines, guarding the AI fire, and warming thousands of enterprises that are plagued by computing power shortages in the process of intelligence.
If AI-oriented computing infrastructure innovation continues, the AI spark will not be extinguished. We might as well take a look at how the "tinder station" of intelligent China is composed from Lenovo's AI computing infrastructure map.
AI Ignition: What Computing Infrastructure Is Needed?
In the fourth industrial revolution with intelligent technology as the core, computing power is a vital factor of productivity and has become the strategic focus of science and technology in countries around the world. Therefore, I believe that most people agree that China's intelligent computing power supply is facing the risks and fluctuations of the external ** chain, and the temperature of this macro "climate" may not completely change in the short term.
At the same time, the development of AI exploration, large-scale model applications, and intelligent industries still needs to be accelerated, and cannot be passively slowed down or even turned off.
What to do?Since ancient times, China has attached great importance to "heavy weapons", and the flame stand that guards the Olympic flame in the Winter Olympics is inspired by the national treasure bronze "He Zun". The domestic infrastructure that provides computing power for AI is also the "tinder station" in the era of intelligent computing, and it is urgent to build a "national weapon" in the era of intelligent computing.
The needs of the times have also put forward a new proposition for the heavy weapon of AI computing infrastructure:
Proposition 1: Reliable hardware. To support the intelligent application of thousands of industries, it is not only necessary to achieve the ultimate in performance and meet the special requirements of AI data and algorithms, but also to be safe and reliable, using high-quality domestic components to meet the highest standards.
Proposition 2: The software is easy to use. The full deployment and computing of smart devices and applications in the cloud, edge, and end has brought complex management requirements, and industry customers want to focus more on business, which requires infrastructure service providers to strengthen software capabilities and make hardware resources easier to use and easier to use to support customer applications and agile innovation. For example, the joint optimization of software and hardware, and the unified visual software management platform.
Proposition 3: Energy consumption is controllable. The explosion of AI models and applications has not only caused a shortage of computing power supply, but also an increase in energy consumption. To this end, various localities have set up "green lines" for data centers and intelligent computing centers, requiring that the PUE value be controlled at the same level. 1 and so on. Green and low-carbon is a new trend and hard indicator facing China's computing industry. Among them, it is not only necessary to "reduce carbon" in the operation and use of computing infrastructure, introduce new technologies such as water cooling, intelligent management and control, and thermal energy, but also reduce carbon emissions from the source, and continuously innovate in the underlying design of AI servers to improve heat dissipation efficiency and reduce heat dissipation power. In the production and manufacturing process of servers, carbon emissions will also be generated, and the "carbon reduction" in this link is also the most difficult, which poses a test to China's computing power industry.
Judging from the above propositions, computing infrastructure is not a simple replacement or replication, but an unprecedented technological innovation and product upgrade for the long-term development of the intelligent industry. Who can lift the important weapon of the country?If we summarize one of the biggest differences between Lenovo and other ICT vendors, it is to take responsibility for the country. From traditional IT to the era of intelligent computing, Lenovo has always insisted on investing in breakthroughs in basic innovation, and building the "heavy weapon" needed for national development in those places where the spotlight may not shine, which is also a "tinder" about AI that I saw on the spot in Tianjin.
Building infrastructure and protecting AI fire: the irreplaceability of Lenovo
Answering the proposition of the times, building a new computing infrastructure, and guarding the fire of intelligent China, Lenovo is contributing its own energy, and it is an irreplaceable energy.
With the rapid increase in demand for intelligent computing, various low-level "digital real estate" have also appeared in the market, and there is room for improvement in performance, energy consumption, management and operation and maintenance efficiency, etc. The high-quality development of China's computing power industry must create the ultimate products and services, and this happens to be what Lenovo is good at and pursuing. Chen Zhenkuan, Vice President of Lenovo Group and General Manager of the Server Business Unit of Lenovo China Infrastructure Business Group, said: "Through continuous innovation, Lenovo has once again launched a number of servers based on 5th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors to comprehensively build AI-oriented infrastructure and help customers accelerate their intelligent transformation. ”
To build AI-oriented computing infrastructure, Lenovo has unique industrial advantages, and it is not a blind stack of cards for the sake of construction. We can summarize the irreplaceability of Lenovo's computing infrastructure through three key words:
The first is "comprehensive".
This year, Lenovo has completed the full-stack intelligent layout, and in the field of AI computing infrastructure, it has formed a dual-brand strategy of Lenovo Wentian + Lenovo ThinkSystem. Among them, "Lenovo ThinkSystem" integrates Lenovo's global R&D and manufacturing resources to create world-quality products with precision design, the industry's most comprehensive quality standards, and rigorous testing processes. "Lenovo Wentian" was born to meet the needs of local Chinese customers, focusing on solving the personalized needs of Chinese customers when choosing IT architecture, such as high-performance AI hardware, cost-effective choice for small and medium-sized enterprises, and fast-response customized services.
The "AI Empowerment and Green Empowerment" AI computing strategy, as well as the dual-brand layout, are enough to illustrate Lenovo's belief and determination to build the industry's most comprehensive AI infrastructure product portfolio and solutions, helping Chinese enterprises build a solid digital foundation for intelligent transformation.
The second is "advanced".
As mentioned earlier, the proposition of the times with AI as the core has put forward more stringent requirements for the software and hardware of computing infrastructure. Lenovo is relying on its diversified advantages in technology research and development, manufacturing, first-class chain, and service, and continues to deliver advanced products to the market, and its product line is becoming more and more abundant.
Taking the three series of new products released this time as an example, Lenovo has achieved the ultimate in three aspects:
Extreme performance. Lenovo Wentian G3 and Lenovo ThinkSystem V3 series products are the first to be equipped with the fifth-generation Intel Xeon Scalable processor, which has the characteristics of high performance, high reliability, high scalability and low energy consumption, and has higher performance per watt and return on investment, which can meet the needs of cloud computing service providers, large and medium-sized enterprises in the financial, government, and enterprise manufacturing industries for computing power performance improvement and workload.
(Lenovo Wentian WR5220 G3 server).
Extreme value for money. At this tasting meeting, Lenovo also released the Lenovo Wentian WR3220 G2 server designed for domestic small and medium-sized enterprise customers, which perfectly combines performance and economy, and can meet the vast majority of workloads such as databases, AI inference, cloud desktops, office OA, email, software-defined storage, etc., and is the ultimate cost-effective solution for small and medium-sized enterprises.
(Lenovo Wentian WR3220 G2 server).
Extreme convenience. In response to the needs of edge computing such as smart parks and unattended stations, Lenovo has launched the software platform Lenovo Intelligent Edge Cloud V31 and Lenovo edge hyper-converged all-in-one machine. Among them, Lenovo Intelligent Edge Cloud adopts a new generation of scale-out software-defined hyper-converged architecture, allowing AI to empower edge centralized management and achieve unified intelligent O&M. At the same time, the new Lenovo edge hyper-converged all-in-one machine has the characteristics of "out-of-the-box", one-stop delivery, and stable and reliable, which can simplify the deployment of the edge cloud platform and support the rapid launch of services. Through the pre-integration of software and hardware, industry customers can more easily implement edge computing capabilities, which is a "small but beautiful" solution tailored by Lenovo for diversified edge scenarios such as multi-branch business collaboration, **flow**, and the Internet of Things.
(Lenovo edge hyper-converged all-in-one machine).
The third is "pragmatism".
In the construction of computing infrastructure, once the resource allocation does not match the actual business needs and scenarios, it is easy to waste resources and reduce the return on investment ratio of intelligence. "Pragmatism" is the third irreplaceable feature of Lenovo's infrastructure.
As a pioneer in intelligent transformation, Lenovo can not only be a "test field" before the launch of computing infrastructure products, but also a "service provider" after the product is launched.
For example, the Lenovo Tianjin zero-carbon factory visited this time has built an efficient, lean, green and low-carbon high-automation production workshop through the comprehensive application of intelligent and digital technology. Lenovo Intelligent Edge Cloud, the "behind-the-scenes hero" of the zero-carbon factory, is deployed on the production line of Lenovo's Tianjin campus to support real-time computing of device-side intelligent applications.
At the same time, Lenovo's computing infrastructure also has in-depth insight into the personalized needs of local customers in China, such as a large number of small and medium-sized enterprises have a relatively weak digital foundation, lack of intelligent transformation experience and professional operation and maintenance personnel, which makes there are many blind spots and confusions in IT infrastructure upgrades. Therefore, infrastructure service providers not only need to provide high-quality products, but also need to do a good job in the role of intelligent guides and escorts of enterprises, and provide full-cycle services. By providing new IT full-stack and full-cycle services, Lenovo can accompany thousands of industries throughout the process and solve the needs and problems in the intelligent process.
Doing enterprise services is very hard and tiring, and it is also indispensable for Chinese enterprises to be intelligent. To make computing infrastructure truly valuable, Lenovo is using service capabilities to promote the implementation of intelligence.
The three-legged combination of comprehensive strategy, advanced products, and pragmatism in the market jointly supports the irreplaceability of Lenovo's computing infrastructure, and also supports the possibility of AI fire burning and industrial intelligence.
With the unquenchable fire of innovation, Xu Zhizhi has a spring blossom
In traditional Chinese connotations, well-timed winter snow also heralds a good harvest in the coming year. To a certain extent, the shortage of computing power caused by the one-year rush of AI large models has also brought huge opportunities and harvest prospects to China's computing power industry. In fact, the domestic AI server market has grown significantly over the past year, and this is just the beginning.
Large models are moving from the concept popularization stage to the value precipitation stage, and it has become an industry consensus to fully apply various AI technologies such as large models and small models in industry scenarios. Enterprises of all types are unwilling and cannot miss this scene revolution of intelligent quality and efficiency. This points to a future: the demand for computing infrastructure will continue to be pushed high.
At this time, Lenovo's AI-oriented computing infrastructure innovation is non-stop, which will bring a series of "ripple effects" to the entire intelligent industry.
In the short term, Lenovo's innovative products and solutions for computing infrastructure will effectively alleviate the shortage of supply in the computing power market. When industries and enterprises can calmly explore the combination of AI and business with a lower threshold and higher return on investment, and promote intelligent upgrading.
In the medium term, the technology precipitation of Lenovo Research Institute, the continuous innovation of infrastructure products, the intelligent manufacturing blessing of zero-carbon factories and global ** chains, and the close follow-up of personal services, etc., these unique advantages of Lenovo can be regarded as the intelligence of industry customers, providing continuous computing power and competitiveness. Combined with the wave of computing power localization, Lenovo will occupy a favorable position in the Chinese computing power market.
(Zhou Tao, General Manager of Server Product Department, Infrastructure Business Group, Lenovo China).
Zhou Tao, general manager of the server product department of Lenovo China's infrastructure business group, specifically mentioned at the tasting meeting that the implementation of the dual brand strategy of Lenovo Wentian and Lenovo thinksystem, Lenovo will continue to improve its support for the domestic technology ecology, promote a richer product portfolio, and on the one hand, promote itself to create more leading full-stack intelligent products and solution servicesOn the other hand, it can provide stronger computing power support for accelerating the intelligent transformation of thousands of industries.
The two brands work together to firmly and deeply implement Lenovo's AI strategy, and the tangible and intangible assets accumulated on the base of computing infrastructure will support Lenovo's unique value in the intelligent era.
This also means that from the third industrial revolution with information technology as the core to the fourth industrial revolution with intelligent technology as the core, Lenovo has always kept pace with the times and the needs of the country. China's scientific and technological innovation is non-stop, and the spark of AI will finally ignite in intelligent China.