High-performance computing at a crossroads

Over the past four decades, high-performance computing (HPC) has enabled considerable advances in scientific discovery and engineering, spurring technological development across the globe. However, with the demand for precision and fidelity of computational models continuing to grow, HPC faces bottlenecks in data handling, algorithm efficiency, and the scalability of new architectures, especially in fields such as chemistry and biology, where molecular simulations increasingly strain hardware and software limits. Governments worldwide are heavily investing in HPC infrastructure to support research, industrial innovation, and national security, each adopting distinct approaches shaped by national interests and regulatory landscapes. Conversely, in the US, there is no long-term plan or comprehensive vision for the next era of HPC advancements, leaving the future trajectory of US HPC and scientific and technological leadership uncertain.