Webtagr - Technology News Summarizer

CUDA at 18: Nvidia's Secret Sauce and AI Dominance

2025-03-24

Nvidia's CUDA platform, celebrating its 18th anniversary, is far more than a programming language or API; it's the core of Nvidia's software ecosystem, powering numerous "embarrassingly parallel" computing tasks from AI to cryptocurrency mining. CUDA's success stems from Nvidia's consistent long-term investment and steady updates, a stark contrast to competitors like AMD. The success of AlexNet highlighted CUDA's early influence in deep learning, and today, it's the de facto standard in AI, forming a strong competitive moat for Nvidia.

(thechipletter.substack.com)

AI

Manchester Baby: The First Truly Modern Computer?

2025-03-11

This article recounts the story of the "Manchester Baby," a small-scale experimental machine built at the University of Manchester in 1948. Despite its slow speed and simple program, the Baby pioneered the concept of electronic stored-program computing, marking a pivotal moment in the dawn of the modern computing age. The article also delves into the competing claim of the ENIAC computer, comparing and contrasting their features, ultimately concluding that the Manchester Baby holds a significant milestone in the development of fully electronic stored-program computers.

(thechipletter.substack.com)

Tech manchester baby

DeepSeek Shakes Up the AI World: A Déjà Vu?

2025-02-18

The emergence of DeepSeek models has sent shockwaves through the AI industry, sparking intense debate. This article revisits a 1990 speech by Gordon Moore on VLSI industry trends, highlighting striking similarities between the challenges then – competition from Asia, rising manufacturing costs, government support, and finding applications – and those facing the AI industry today. Moore's cautious stance on neural network chips back then, contrasted with AI's current boom, is thought-provoking. History seems to be repeating itself; technological advancements are rapid, yet fundamental industry questions persist.

(thechipletter.substack.com)

AI

Nvidia's Ascent: A Thirty-Year Journey to AI Dominance

2024-12-28

Tae Kim's new book, 'The Nvidia Way,' chronicles Nvidia's remarkable journey from a small company founded in a Denny's to one of the world's most valuable. From early graphics card designs to leading the AI revolution, Nvidia's success wasn't accidental. The book details early failures, highlighting CEO Jensen Huang's relentless innovation and risk-taking, culminating in breakthroughs like the RIVA 128. A unique strategy combining hardware and software, coupled with a distinctive corporate culture, propelled Nvidia to AI leadership. However, future challenges remain.

(thechipletter.substack.com)

Tech Jensen Huang