Understand it / 20 seconds
What exactly is a GPU?
A GPU is a chip built to perform many similar calculations in parallel. That makes it useful for the matrix operations at the heart of modern AI. One chip is only the beginning: large systems connect many GPUs through very fast networks.
02Show meFollow the connection
- 01Numbers
- 02Parallel math
- 03GPU
- 04Networked cluster
- 05Model output
Here's what matters
The answer changes when these conditions change.
- 01A GPU is not the AI model itself
- 02Memory and networking can limit performance
- 03More chips increase power and heat
- 04Software and utilization determine how efficiently hardware is used
03Prove itOpen the machinery
This explainer uses definitions, not a disputed numerical claim.
As the research library expands, project-specific evidence will appear here rather than being filled with placeholders.