Azernews.Az

By Alimat Aliyeva

China has officially launched the world’s largest distributed computing center for artificial intelligence, spanning 40 cities and stretching over 2,000 kilometers, Azernews reports.

The system, named the Future Network Test Facility (FNTF), links remote data centers to function almost like a single massive supercomputer, achieving an efficiency of approximately 98%. Once fully connected, the network enables the execution of tasks that demand immense computational power, such as training colossal AI models, telemedicine applications, and real-time industrial automation.

“Training a model with hundreds of billions of parameters usually requires more than 500,000 iterations. In our network, each iteration takes about 16 seconds, whereas without it, it would take an additional 20 seconds per iteration—adding months to the training cycle,” explained Liu Yunjie, a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and project manager.

The FNTF links geographically distant centers through a high-speed optical backbone, providing both high bandwidth and stable data transmission. The total length of these connections exceeds 55,000 kilometers—enough to wrap around the Earth’s equator one and a half times.

The network can simultaneously support 128 different systems and run over 4,000 parallel service tests, making it exceptionally versatile and reliable. Essentially, it allows remote data centers to operate as a unified cluster, speeding up computations, reducing costs, and simplifying the development of advanced AI solutions.

The launch of FNTF is part of China’s national initiative, “East-West Computing Based on Data.” Under this program, the country is building a nationwide computing platform, strategically placing data centers in regions with low-cost energy and investing in cutting-edge technologies, including photonic and quantum chips.

The system is designed to accelerate not only AI research but also the adoption of high-tech industrial applications. Experts note that FNTF can process massive datasets in real time, enabling automated production, remote diagnostics, and enhanced telemedicine services. This makes it a key component of China’s vision for next-generation industrial networks and intelligent infrastructure.

Some analysts suggest that FNTF could position China at the forefront of AI supercomputing globally, potentially rivaling existing mega-clusters in the U.S. and Europe. With its unprecedented scale and versatility, the facility represents a major step toward integrating AI into everyday industrial, medical, and research applications.