The synergy of supercomputers and artificial intelligence (AI) lies in their complementary strengths: supercomputers provide the raw computational power needed to handle vast amounts of data, while AI algorithms leverage this power to extract meaningful insights, make predictions, and drive decision-making. Their intersection is crucial to what AI can achieve, especially in data-intensive and complex problem-solving scenarios.

During my internship in New Delhi at the Department of Electronics, (now the Department of Information Technology - DIT, under the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology), I was fortunate to have seen a PARAM supercomputer in action. From 8000 to Rudra, a speed of one giga flop to a processing capability of petaflops, PARAM has come a long way.  With PARAM Siddhi-AI being ranked in the top 100 supercomputers globally, it has the ability to expedite image surveillance, image processing, natural language processing (NLP), and computer vision, among other AI-based functions, and drive efficacy in healthcare, manufacturing, urban planning, and transport projects. 

The strategic partnerships between governments and research institutions, academia and industry are key in the use of AI for social good. 

When we talk about using AI for social good, these supercomputers are already supporting research efforts and startups to execute large-scale projects. During COVID-19, the PARAM Siddhi-AI was saving countless lives through drug repurposing and related simulations using AI. These supercomputers are also playing a vital role in agritech, cybersecurity, robotics, and more, ultimately promoting broader financial inclusion and economic development aligning with the larger goal of "Atmanirbhar Bharat" (self-reliant India).

While this interplay of AI and supercomputers will continue to break through across multiple domains, its nature stays very symbiotic and fundamental to innovation and growth.