University of Utah Partners with HPE and NVIDIA to Establish Sovereign AI Factory

The partnership was unveiled during the NVIDIA GTC DC event, highlighting the University of Utah’s commitment to leveraging cutting-edge AI to enhance medical research and attract talent and businesses to the region. The development of the Sovereign AI Factory is a significant component of a broader economic development strategy by the State of Utah, which seeks to expand AI infrastructure throughout the region.

The new infrastructure is set to more than triple the University’s existing computing capacity, enabling accelerated healthcare breakthroughs and fostering innovation across various disciplines. Trish Damkroger, Senior Vice President and General Manager of HPC & AI Infrastructure Solutions at HPE, emphasized the importance of academic institutions as research hubs, stating, “As they continue to invest in AI to fuel those initiatives, they need to meet compliance requirements to protect data and IP.”

The AI factory, developed in partnership with NVIDIA, will feature a comprehensive, fully integrated solution managed through HPE GreenLake. This infrastructure includes state-of-the-art components such as HPE Cray XD670 servers, NVIDIA Hopper GPUs, and essential software services. These resources are specifically designed to handle the massive processing and data requirements necessary for both academic research and regional economic growth.

The Sovereign AI Factory will offer a range of services, including:

These capabilities will ensure complete data control, sovereignty, policy compliance, and security for the University of Utah, allowing it to operate effectively as a public sector entity.

Taylor Randall, President of the University of Utah, remarked on the institution’s history of technological advancements and its commitment to building a robust AI ecosystem. “Our goal is ensuring the state is awash in computing power by building a scalable AI ecosystem that benefits our entire higher education system, powers research to find new healthcare cures, and ignites Utah’s entrepreneurial spirit,” he stated.

Dion Harris, Senior Director of HPC, Cloud, and Infrastructure Solutions at NVIDIA, praised the collaboration, noting that educational institutions combining innovation with technical expertise are essential for addressing society’s most pressing challenges. The new AI infrastructure will build on the university's strengths in medicine, engineering, and data science, ultimately fueling discovery and translating ideas into meaningful impact.

The AI factory will utilize HPE GreenLake at Colocation, providing streamlined management of cloud and colocation services. The partnership with DataBank, a colocation provider, will ensure high-density workloads can be effectively managed close to the University. This deployment is expected to handle generative AI, agentic AI, and other emerging AI workloads while maintaining energy efficiency and rapid scalability.

The realization of this ambitious project has been significantly bolstered by the philanthropic contributions of Brynn and Peter Huntsman, along with the Huntsman Family Foundation. Their lead gift aims to kickstart the initiative, encouraging further support for its advancement.

The establishment of the Sovereign AI Factory at the University of Utah represents a pivotal step in the intersection of technology and healthcare, positioning Utah as a leader in AI-driven research and economic development. With the combined expertise of HPE and NVIDIA, the University is poised to make substantial contributions to medical breakthroughs and regional innovation.

As this initiative progresses, it not only promises to enhance the University’s capabilities but also underlines the critical role of collaboration between academia and industry in shaping the future of healthcare and technology.