Blackwell supercomputer powers medical AI in the Netherlands

Recently, one of the first Blackwell supercomputers in the Netherlands was activated at a datacentre in Rotterdam, marking a significant advancement in the field of medical AI applications. The Nvidia DGX B200 system, located at the NorthC datacentre, is currently being utilized by startup Juvoly for an innovative AI project focused on understanding the Dutch language for voice-enabled speech-to-text healthcare workflows. This new Blackwell technology from Nvidia has surpassed the previous Hopper architecture in terms of shipments, showcasing the continuous evolution of GPU technology.

Juvoly has embarked on a collaborative effort with esteemed Dutch universities Erasmus MC and TU Delft to develop a cutting-edge Medical Dutch Large Language Model (LLM), with plans to eventually release it as open-source software. This initiative highlights the importance of leveraging AI in the healthcare sector to enhance patient care and streamline medical processes through advanced language processing capabilities.

Equipped with eight Nvidia Blackwell GPUs interconnected with two Intel Xeon CPUs featuring fifth-generation NVLink interconnect, the B200 supercomputer offers an impressive 70 petaFLOPS of AI training performance, a significant threefold increase from the previous generation. Additionally, it provides 11 petaFLOPS of inference, a remarkable 15-fold improvement. The unveiling of this state-of-the-art system was conducted by Prince Constantijn van Oranje, a special envoy for the Dutch deep tech startup ecosystem.

Thomas Kluiters, co-founder of Juvoly, expressed his enthusiasm about the potential impact of this advanced infrastructure on healthcare outcomes, emphasizing the importance of developing AI solutions locally to safeguard sensitive patient data. Kluiters stated, “If a startup less than two years old can bring the latest supercomputers to the Netherlands, then other companies can too,” underscoring the accessibility of cutting-edge technology for innovative ventures in the region.

Furthermore, Juvoly specializes in creating and hosting speech-to-text models that are optimized for overcoming language barriers, diverse accents, and complex medical terminology. Their model has demonstrated superior performance compared to international counterparts while also being more energy-efficient. Currently, the company processes over 5,000 general practitioner consultations daily, showcasing the practical application and scalability of their AI-driven solutions in real-world healthcare settings.