CTC Poised to Launch Program Providing AI Development Infrastructure to Universities Free of Charge

Contributing to the Development of Workers with Advanced IT Skills through Provision of NVIDIA DGX-1 System in a Cluster Configuration

Nov 07, 2018 ITOCHU Techno-Solutions Corporation

ITOCHU Techno-Solutions Corporation (Satoshi Kikuchi, President & CEO; headquartered in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; hereinafter "CTC") will today open AI_Lab on the premises of Technical Solution Center (hereinafter "TSC"), CTC' s center for conducting system verification processes in a multi-vendor environment. AI_Lab is equipped with a range of AI systems, including cutting-edge GPU environments for verifying and learning about large-scale AI utilization. CTC will market the lab to companies and universities that are seeking to develop workers with advanced AI and other IT skills, aiming to generate revenue of ¥3 billion in the space of three years from the lab, including related AI business.

CTC will also launch a free program for universities at AI_Lab from December for the purpose of training workers responsible for AI development and utilization.

According to the Ministry of Economics, Trade and Industry, it is estimated that there will be a shortage of around 50,000 workers with advanced IT skills, including big data, IoT and AI, by 2020 in Japan and the development of human resources is an issue that needs to be addressed urgently from the viewpoint of strengthening Japan' s global competitiveness.

CTC opened TSC in 2005 as a center for validating multivendor IT devices, with the aim of increasing work efficiency when customers introduce a new IT system. TSC currently conducts around 2,000 verifications per year.

Located inside TSC, AI_Lab features a clustered environment for the NVIDIA® DGX-1™ system, which offers multi-petaflop performance, AIRI™, a fully integrated AI infrastructure stack from Pure Storage®, and NetApp ONTAP AI, an AI proven architecture from NetApp. The lab opens up possibilities ranging from AI education to the validation of scenarios based on actual customer data as well as validation of integration of AI systems into existing systems.

Under the program for universities, CTC will provide AI_Lab' s AI development infrastructure including the clustered environment for the NVIDIA DGX-1 system, AIRI and NetApp ONTAP AI, free of charge from December. For a fee, CTC will also provide optional services such as the creation of educational content and actual education.

CTC already has a proven track record in the creation of big data and AI systems, and provides total AI-based SI business solutions as NVIDIA' s partner in the deep learning sector. CTC also launched CTC Integrated AI Platform Stack, a hybrid cloud environment for AI utilization, from 2017, and an AI-based human resources development solution integrating education and IT environments from October 2018.

In the future, CTC will continue developing workers with AI skills and contributing to the government' s AI strategy through the enhancement of AI solutions and education and verification programs at TSC.

Contact Information

ITOCHU Techno-Solutions Corporation, Corporate Communications Dept.

E-mail:press@ctc-g.co.jp

You can contact us via the web formOpen link in new window

Currently displayed information is correct at the time of the announcement. Please be aware that information displayed may differ from the very latest information.

  • Tweet about this page on Twitter (Open link in new window)
  • Share this page on Facebook (Open link in new window)