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What is a GPU?

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Quick answer

A GPU (graphics processing unit) is a chip designed to do many calculations at once, originally for rendering graphics. Its ability to handle thousands of operations in parallel also makes it the workhorse of modern AI and scientific computing. It performs many calculations simultaneously (in parallel).

Key things to understand

  1. It performs many calculations simultaneously (in parallel).
  2. It was built to render images and video games quickly.
  3. That same parallel power accelerates AI training and crypto.
  4. It complements the CPU, which handles general sequential tasks.
  5. Modern AI's rise is closely tied to powerful GPUs.

People also ask

What's the difference between a CPU and a GPU?
A CPU does a few complex tasks quickly in sequence; a GPU does thousands of simpler tasks at once, ideal for graphics and AI.
Why is the GPU important for AI?
Training AI involves huge numbers of similar calculations, which GPUs run in parallel far faster than a CPU could.
What does GPU stand for?
Graphics Processing Unit — named for its original job of rendering images, though it now powers much more.