The hardware that runs the latest AI systems faces rising uncertainty as models grow larger and more computationally intensive.
What’s new: The U.S. Commerce Department sounded an alarm over bottlenecks in the availability of semiconductor chips, the integrated circuits at the heart of virtually all digital devices. The supply of advanced microprocessors that drive cutting-edge AI is vulnerable, The New York Times reported.
Why it matters: So far, the post-pandemic semiconductor shortage mostly has affected chips that rely on older manufacturing methods, such as those used in automobiles, medical devices, radio-frequency identification, and optical sensors. As AI grows ever more hungry for processing power, a sustained shortage of advanced chips could be a significant barrier to progress in the field and beyond.
We’re thinking : International cooperation generally fosters prosperity. In AI, it’s essential to progress.
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