Presentation
Workflows, Not Workloads: The Future of HPC, AI, and Big Data
DescriptionHigh performance computing (HPC), artificial intelligence (AI), and data analytics are converging in ways that are reshaping research, industry, and government operations. For decades, organizations optimized individual workloads—tuning a simulation, refining a model, or scaling a job. However, as complexity increases, this siloed approach creates bottlenecks, compliance risks, and escalating costs. The real breakthrough comes not from making single workloads faster, but from orchestrating workflows that span the entire value chain.
This flash session explores the transition from the “age of workloads” to the “age of workflows.” Drawing parallels to Henry Ford’s assembly line, we will highlight how workflow thinking accelerates insight, ensures reproducibility, and enables cost control across hybrid and multi-cloud environments. Topics include:
• Workflow orchestration in HPC/AI pipelines using tools such as NextFlow, Snakemake, WDL, Cromwell, and Airflow
• Hybrid flexibility: balancing on-premises HPC with cloud bursting for agility and scale
• Compliance and reproducibility: structured, auditable pipelines that reduce risk in regulated domains
• Knowledge preservation: encoding expert practices into workflows to mitigate the “Silver Tsunami” of retiring talent
• Case studies: accelerating drug discovery, optimizing energy production, and advancing automotive materials design
Attendees will leave with a clear understanding of how workflow optimization transforms HPC from a collection of isolated jobs into a strategic engine for innovation. The imperative is clear: organizations that shift to workflow-driven thinking will accelerate their time-to-market, reduce costs, and build a sustainable competitive advantage in the era of data-intensive science and AI.
This flash session explores the transition from the “age of workloads” to the “age of workflows.” Drawing parallels to Henry Ford’s assembly line, we will highlight how workflow thinking accelerates insight, ensures reproducibility, and enables cost control across hybrid and multi-cloud environments. Topics include:
• Workflow orchestration in HPC/AI pipelines using tools such as NextFlow, Snakemake, WDL, Cromwell, and Airflow
• Hybrid flexibility: balancing on-premises HPC with cloud bursting for agility and scale
• Compliance and reproducibility: structured, auditable pipelines that reduce risk in regulated domains
• Knowledge preservation: encoding expert practices into workflows to mitigate the “Silver Tsunami” of retiring talent
• Case studies: accelerating drug discovery, optimizing energy production, and advancing automotive materials design
Attendees will leave with a clear understanding of how workflow optimization transforms HPC from a collection of isolated jobs into a strategic engine for innovation. The imperative is clear: organizations that shift to workflow-driven thinking will accelerate their time-to-market, reduce costs, and build a sustainable competitive advantage in the era of data-intensive science and AI.
Speaker
Event Type
Flash Session
TimeTuesday, 18 November 20253:30pm - 3:45pm CST
LocationBooth 2638 - Flash Session
Not Livestreamed
Not Recorded