OpenAI, the leading Artificial Intelligence (AI) company, is looking for ways to keep its AI services operational during the ongoing chip shortage. To address this challenge, the company is considering building its own AI chips, similar to Amazon’s approach of acquiring a chip company.
According to a recent report by Reuters, OpenAI is actively exploring the possibility of creating its own AI chips. With the growing interest in generative AI technology, there has been an increased demand for Graphical Processing Units (GPUs), which are vital for AI operations. OpenAI currently relies on external suppliers like Nvidia for the supply of GPUs. However, to mitigate the effects of the ongoing chip shortage, the company is exploring the idea of working more closely with chipmakers and building its custom AI chips.
The shortage of GPUs has significant implications for user experience, particularly when there is a high demand for AI-powered services. Microsoft’s Bing Chat recently encountered issues generating images when it made OpenAI’s DALL E-3 art generator accessible to all for free. The level of interest exceeded the company’s expectations, leading to delays in image generation. To address this issue, Microsoft had to bring in additional GPUs to improve the performance of Bing’s Image Creator.
OpenAI’s interest in building its own AI chips may not be solely to tackle the chip shortage and ensure the continuity of its AI services. The company is reportedly in talks with Jony Ive, the former chief designer at Apple, to develop a new AI hardware device. This collaboration further emphasizes the need for OpenAI to have control over its own AI chip manufacturing process.
However, it is still unclear when or if OpenAI’s custom AI chips will be released. There are no official details or release dates available at the moment. Nevertheless, the company’s initiative to explore building its own AI chips showcases its commitment to innovation and mitigating potential operational crises caused by the chip shortage.
As the chip shortage continues to impact various industries, companies like OpenAI are taking proactive measures to ensure the availability and reliability of their AI services. By building their own AI chips, they can reduce their dependence on external suppliers and have greater control over the supply chain. This strategic move not only helps to address the current chip shortage but also positions OpenAI to be at the forefront of AI hardware innovation in the future.