AI giant opens Aussie hub to find ‘what’s coming next’
Jennifer Dudley-Nicholson |
One of the world’s biggest data centre operators will launch an Australian hub to research and address some of the nation’s biggest problems, including bushfires and floods.
NTT Data unveiled its Innovation Centre Australia in the centre of Sydney on Thursday, announcing that universities, government agencies, startups and established firms would be invited to use the venue to collaborate on projects.
Research tackled at the centre could range from environmental initiatives to cybersecurity, the company said, and would use technology including satellite networks, digital twins and advanced artificial intelligence.
The opening comes a week after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced plans to introduce legal standards for AI tools and data centres in Australia, and after concerns were raised at a NSW inquiry about the developments’ high use of energy and water resources.
NTT Data’s facility, located in Sydney’s Darling Park, will feature areas dedicated to different technologies including generative AI, satellites and quantum computing.
The centre was designed to bring together researchers, policymakers and companies looking to solve issues using emerging technology, NTT Data Australia and New Zealand executive managing director David McKeering said.
“It’s everything to do with what’s very topical at the moment: AI, digital twins, what are we doing around quantum computing, cyber security,” he told AAP.
“It’s really about what’s coming next rather than how do we deal with things that are in front of us right now.”
The Japanese firm, which operates more than 150 data centres, including three in Australia, will seek to identify projects across a range of issues including public safety and environmental issues.
The company had teamed with ClimateForce to use digital sensors to monitor the Daintree rainforest, for example, and Mr McKeering said future projects could digitally simulate bushfires and other natural disasters to develop more efficient ways to contain them.
“We’re thinking around how do we use AI, for example, for national resilience,” he said.
“(We’re) using things like digital twin simulations and smart digital models to try to work out when and how things may happen and what would be the response to those.”
NTT Data is one of the world’s largest data centre operators – alongside Amazon, Microsoft, Google and Equinix – that provide information storage, management and AI processing for large firms.
The developments have come under increased scrutiny in Australia over the past year, however, due to their rapid growth and high use of electricity and water.
The federal government is expected to introduce legal requirements for data centre developments within the next year, including obligations to underwrite energy projects and limit their water use.
AAP