GPU

What it is

A GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) is a processor designed for parallel computation. Originally built for rendering graphics, GPUs are now essential for AI because neural network operations are highly parallelisable. Training and running large models requires many powerful GPUs working together.

Why it matters

GPUs explain why AI development is so expensive and resource-intensive. Training frontier models requires thousands of high-end GPUs running for months. GPU availability and cost influence which organisations can build advanced AI and how quickly capabilities advance. It's also why running models locally requires capable graphics cards.