Kuwait unveils ICARUS, first national high-performance computing and AI platform
The Acting Director General of the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR), Dr. Faisal Al-Humaidan, has announced the launch of the “ICARUS” system, the first integrated national platform in Kuwait for high-performance computing (HPC) and artificial intelligence (AI).
The platform aims to be a cornerstone for the scientific and research community, reinforcing Kuwait’s position in global advanced technology.
Al-Humaidan described ICARUS as more than a technological achievement, saying, it is a strategic investment in Kuwait’s scientific and technological future.
It is expected to open new avenues for local and international partnerships and strengthen Kuwait’s role as a regional hub for innovation and research. The initiative aligns with national directives to embrace major civilizational projects, transition to a knowledge-based economy, and create a future driven by science, data, and computing power, reports Al-Rai daily.
The Kuwait Integrated System for Advanced High-Performance Computing (ICARUS) marks a major leap in research infrastructure. It combines powerful computing capabilities with vast storage resources to process data and execute complex operations at speeds hundreds of times faster than conventional systems.
The platform can perform 244 trillion calculations per second (244 teraflops) and offers up to 500 terabytes of temporary storage and 5 petabytes of permanent storage.
These capabilities will allow researchers to tackle major challenges in fields such as environment, energy, water, petroleum, biomedical engineering, and climate change. By providing a strategic tool for scientists and engineers, ICARUS will enable innovative solutions more efficiently, at lower costs, and within shorter timeframes, contributing to sustainable development and the realization of Kuwait’s Vision 2035.
Explaining the choice of name, Al-Humaidan noted that “ICARUS” is an acronym for the system’s English name and also carries historical significance.
The ancient name for Failaka Island, given by Alexander the Great in the 4th century BC, was “Icarus,” due to its resemblance —according to some historians — to the Aegean Island of the same name.
Engineer Tahani Hussein, the platform’s technical lead, said ICARUS balances supercomputer power with energy efficiency, managing computing loads both in parallel and sequentially. She highlighted that the system bridges big data and AI technologies, enabling the same infrastructure to analyze data, run simulations, and process diverse research workloads, thereby boosting scientific and technical innovation.
Key benefits of ICARUS include accelerating research and discoveries in energy, environment, water, and medical technologies, supporting decision-making through advanced simulation and big data analytics, enhancing national security and risk management, training and qualifying national talent in supercomputing and AI and positioning Kuwait among the countries with advanced computing technologies.
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