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OpenAI unveils its first custom chip, built by Broadcom

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Re: OpenAI unveils its first custom chip, built by Broadcom

#61

Post by sharkjacobs »

> Developed from design to production in nine months, accelerated by OpenAI’s models

> the use of OpenAI models to accelerate parts of the design and optimization process.

I wish there was more about this. As is I kind of have to assume that this is just meaningless marketing, like saying development was accelerated by Microsoft Office or their 5k LG Ultrafine 40-inch monitors.

Like, if this was as big a deal as it kind of vaguely implies, they would be making a bigger deal of it, right?

Re: OpenAI unveils its first custom chip, built by Broadcom

#62

Post by tantalor »

renoir wrote: post #59

Look at the SIZE of that chip. Cerebras stock is down nearly 20% today. Not only is approach overlapping, OpenAI is also Cerebras's only major customer.

If you're referring to the big circle of silicon, that's a wafer, generally contains many chips (100-1000s).

Re: OpenAI unveils its first custom chip, built by Broadcom

#65

Post by thrtythreeforty »

tantalor wrote: post #62
renoir wrote: post #59

Look at the SIZE of that chip. Cerebras stock is down nearly 20% today. Not only is approach overlapping, OpenAI is also Cerebras's only major customer.

If you're referring to the big circle of silicon, that's a wafer, generally contains many chips (100-1000s).

For reticle-limit chips, it's on the order of 100. And less than that once you filter out bad dies.

Re: OpenAI unveils its first custom chip, built by Broadcom

#66

Post by CrzyLngPwd »

utopiah wrote: post #28
jerojero wrote: post #6

One thing I don't like about California based companies is how cringe the names always are. "Jalapeño" is such a bad name, having an "ñ" already makes it difficult and annoying to deal with in so many little ways. Good luck with that. But also, theres the sort of "yes lets use Mexican related things because we're California" thought that I just really hate. I don't know, its like corporate Memphis to me. You see a pr…

Strawberry was too complicated as a codename.

Too many Rs.

Re: OpenAI unveils its first custom chip, built by Broadcom

#67

Post by yieldcrv »

alephnerd wrote: post #35
HarHarVeryFunny wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I just read a claim on Twitter that the reason these companies (Google and Amazon as well as OpenAI) are using Broadcom isn't just for design expertise, but because Broadcom have allocation agreements in place with TSMC and the memory manufacturers.

Most design partners have allocation agreements. The thing is Broadcom is an absolute GIANT in the ASIC design space, and it's closest competitor Marvell is a fraction of it's size. There are a lot of large tech companies that most of HN has never heard about that completely dominate entire segments.

[flagged]

Re: OpenAI unveils its first custom chip, built by Broadcom

#68

Post by dofm »

sharkjacobs wrote: post #61

> Developed from design to production in nine months, accelerated by OpenAI’s models > the use of OpenAI models to accelerate parts of the design and optimization process. I wish there was more about this. As is I kind of have to assume that this is just meaningless marketing, like saying development was accelerated by Microsoft Office or their 5k LG Ultrafine 40-inch monitors. Like, if this was as big a deal as it k…

Right. There are two possible meanings and shades in-between:

1) OpenAI genuinely have AI technologies that can improve chip design (bold, unlikely claim, needs evidence)

2) OpenAI designed test/verification models and kernels that could be run on the simulated hardware to test its performance

As you and others have said, it's hard to trust when they are happy to write something that could easily only mean the latter but sounds like the former.

Re: OpenAI unveils its first custom chip, built by Broadcom

#69

Post by nixon_why69 »

sharkjacobs wrote: post #61

> Developed from design to production in nine months, accelerated by OpenAI’s models > the use of OpenAI models to accelerate parts of the design and optimization process. I wish there was more about this. As is I kind of have to assume that this is just meaningless marketing, like saying development was accelerated by Microsoft Office or their 5k LG Ultrafine 40-inch monitors. Like, if this was as big a deal as it k…

There is a lot of verilog out there, it's pretty feasible that they had AI assistance writing more to design their chip.

It doesn't have to be revolutionary, it could just be AI-assisted design and lined up well enough with their operations for a custom ASIC to be worth it.

Re: OpenAI unveils its first custom chip, built by Broadcom

#70

Post by antonvs »

OrvalWintermute wrote: post #63

Word of Advice for OpenAI: Never underestimate Broadcom’s ability to shaft their own customers - VMware - CA Technologies - Symantec Enterprise Security - Brocade - LSI Corporation

CA Technologies was much worse than Broadcom in its heyday.

Three of their top execs - CEO, CFO, and head of sales - went to federal prison on securities fraud, conspiracy, and other charges. The CEO, Sanjay Kumar, who was at least partly the fall guy for co-founder Charles Wang, served 10 years.

Being acquired by Broadcom could only have been an upgrade, as strange as that may sound.

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