AI chips are hot. Here's what they are, what they're for and why investors see gold
The hottest thing in technology is an unprepossessing sliver of silicon closely related to the chips that power video game graphics
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The hottest thing in technology is an unprepossessing sliver of silicon closely related to the chips that power video game graphics. It’s an artificial intelligence chip, designed specifically to make building AI systems such as ChatGPT faster and cheaper.
Such chips have suddenly taken center stage in what some experts consider an AI revolution that could reshape the technology sector — and possibly the world along with it. Shares of Nvidia, the leading designer of AI chips, rocketed up almost 25% last Thursday after the company forecast a huge jump in revenue that analysts said indicated soaring sales of its products. The company was briefly worth more than $1 trillion on Tuesday.
SO WHAT ARE AI CHIPS, ANYWAY?
That isn't an easy question to answer. “There really isn’t a completely agreed upon definition of AI chips," said Hannah Dohmen, a research analyst with the Center for Security and Emerging Technology.