Welcome to the age of creation, where the advent of generative AI (GenAI) marks a seismic shift in the high-tech industry, akin to the arrival of PCs, the Internet, or smartphones. It’s not merely a change in how we use technology; GenAI is transforming society itself.
This Is Just The Beginning
Our journey begins in the present generative AI era, which resembles the early days of smartphones. We’re using GenAI for basic applications due to its current capabilities and unresolved ethical concerns. However, unlike the slow evolutionary path of cellular technology, GenAI’s transition to broader and more sophisticated uses will be swift.
Costs and Roadmaps
Through rigorous research, Tirias Research has charted the course of GenAI, predicting a steep incline in processing demand for text, images, and videos. By 2028, we expect a 151x increase in text-based usage and a 167x surge in visual content, driving operational costs from $1.7 billion in 2024 to a staggering $84 billion in 2028.
Semiconductors and Systems
The hardware landscape is already adapting, with AI-specific accelerators becoming integral to processors across devices and servers. This trend will continue, leveraging advanced semiconductor processes and architectural improvements to cater to GenAI’s growing needs.
Applications
As GenAI evolves, so too will its applications. We’re poised for a leap in performance, particularly in video-related functions, which will demand more hardware and software resources, but also enable richer technologies like real-time avatars and interactive gaming experiences.
The Tradeoff
Larger data sets and models bring greater knowledge and accuracy, but at what cost? The industry faces a balancing act between expanding model sizes and optimizing performance through techniques like quantization and pruning.
Balancing At The Edge
Edge computing emerges as a key player, necessary to alleviate data center demands, improve performance, and personalize experiences. By shifting a portion of GenAI processing to the edge, we may save billions in operating costs and foster a more sustainable growth rate for GenAI’s future.
The Holistic View
Looking at the big picture, GenAI necessitates a hybrid infrastructure that marries cloud and edge processing, ensuring a balanced approach to resource demand and personalized user experiences.
Final Thoughts
GenAI stands on the brink of societal transformation. While it promises to redefine our interaction with technology, it also challenges the high-tech industry to innovate at an unprecedented pace. The drive towards a sustainable and balanced GenAI ecosystem is on, with cloud and edge AI processing playing pivotal roles.
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