Slashdot: OpenAI Sam Altman Says the Company Is ‘Out of GPUs’

Source URL: https://tech.slashdot.org/story/25/02/27/2147257/openai-sam-altman-says-the-company-is-out-of-gpus?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed
Source: Slashdot
Title: OpenAI Sam Altman Says the Company Is ‘Out of GPUs’

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Summary: The text discusses the challenges faced by OpenAI in rolling out its new GPT-4.5 model, primarily due to a shortage of GPUs. The high costs associated with this new model also highlight the economic implications for users, especially those in AI and cloud infrastructures.

Detailed Description: The provided content focuses on OpenAI’s announcement regarding the deployment of its latest AI model, GPT-4.5. Here are the key points:

– **GPU Shortage**: OpenAI is currently facing a shortage of Graphics Processing Units (GPUs), which are essential for training and deploying AI models. This has forced the company to stagger the rollout, indicating both a supply chain challenge and possibly unexpected demand projections.

– **Cost Implications**: The costs associated with using GPT-4.5 are significantly higher compared to the previous version, GPT-4. Notably, OpenAI charges $75 for every million tokens input and $150 for every million tokens generated. This reflects a substantial increase in operational costs for users who integrate this AI model into their applications.

– **Model Rollout Strategy**: The rollout plan prioritizes subscribers to ChatGPT Pro, followed by ChatGPT Plus customers, showcasing a tiered access strategy that could suggest varying levels of importance or contributions from different user segments.

– **Growth Projections**: Sam Altman’s comments on the unpredictability of growth spurts leading to GPU shortages highlight a common issue in the tech industry where rapid scaling is often not matched by infrastructure capabilities.

These points are critical for professionals in AI, cloud computing, and infrastructure security, as they underscore the intersections between model deployment, cost management, and the need for robust infrastructure to support rapid advancements in AI technology.

*Implications for Security Professionals*:
– The reliance on hardware infrastructure (GPUs) aligns with considerations in hardware security and availability to ensure that AI applications can function as intended.
– Economic aspects tied to AI service pricing could influence budget allocations for organizations using AI, leading to a need for compliance and financial planning in project proposals that leverage AI technologies.
– Understanding the operational challenges faced by leading AI companies can guide internal strategy for scaling infrastructure reliably while ensuring security and performance standards are met.