China activates 1,240-mile-wide ‘giant computer’, offers 98% efficiency of single data centre

China has activated the world’s largest distributed AI computing pool, known as the Future Network Test Facility (FNTF), spanning approximately 1,243 miles and linking data centers across 40 cities via a high-speed optical network. This system operates with about 98% of the efficiency of a single unified data center, enabling it to handle demanding workloads such as training large AI models, telemedicine, and real-time industrial applications. The network significantly reduces AI training times—for example, cutting iteration times from over 36 seconds to about 16 seconds—thereby potentially shortening training cycles by months. The FNTF supports China’s broader strategy to build a nationwide computing-power platform, complementing initiatives like the “East Data West Computing” project and investments in emerging technologies such as photonic and quantum-enhanced chips. The facility boasts high throughput, reliability, and deterministic transmission, capable of supporting 128 heterogeneous networks and running 4,096 service trials simultaneously. While it promises revolutionary improvements in AI development