US seeks to promote superfast computers

The White House announced a program to encourage development of so-called supercomputers - fast-working computers of the sort Japan is now developing. White House science adviser George Keyworth said in a statement that the Energy Department would examine ways the US government could encourage their development. The department would also seek ways to make supercomputers more widely available to private researchers, while the Defense Department would speed up research in relevant areas, such as artificial intelligence, he said.