GPUs Are So Fast, Why Do We Still Need CPUs?

A viral video uses a painting duel to illustrate the performance difference between CPUs and GPUs: a CPU painstakingly draws a smiley face, while a GPU instantly renders the Mona Lisa. But this overlooks a crucial point: program types. CPUs excel at sequential instructions, while GPUs thrive on parallel processing. Most applications blend sequential and parallel code; for example, a program might be 50% parallelizable. CPUs are like head chefs, adept at handling unexpected events; GPUs are like line cooks, mastering repetitive tasks. Chips like Apple's M3 integrate both, combining CPU flexibility with GPU computing power.