GPU Shortage

Before we start by telling you what GPU are, GPU stands for Graphics Processing Unit. And ram a fellow important peas to the shortage ram stand for Random Access Memory. Why is it happening: so AI companies are buying all the GPU, GPU are used for rapidly process and render images, videos, and 3D animations, AI companies (like chatGPT) use it to train their AI

What even is a GPU?

GPUs are complexly designed chips that make your computer’s graphics, or moving images, better. They increase the ‘frames per second,’ which means an animation looks realer because it’s moving faster on your screen. This is super important for video games. GPUs are made with billions of transistors, which are then fabricated onto silicon wafers in ultra-clean factories using photolithography and EUV light to etch patterns layer by layer, a process taking months and thousands of steps. They are then cooled, and assembled into final graphics cards. The finished chips are then packaged, mounted on Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) with other components of computers, like the memory. RAM or Random Access Memory is something that helps the GPU do its job when someone plays a video game on a computer. RAM is like the computer’s short term memory, it remembers what you have in your inventory when playing Minecraft for example, but isn’t what stores your important stuff like homework assignments. GPU makes all the stuff that RAM remembers to keep in your Minecraft inventory look really cool, so that’s how these things are working together. RAM is less cool when your GPU isn’t good.

AI companies are making GPUs hard to get

Tech companies’ top selling makers over GPUs are AMD, Nvidia and Intel. They make 99% of all GPUs, and they are now selling a lot of them to AI companies, like OpenAI which makes ChatGPT. Most GPUs are being bought up by AI companies, which is making it so people like you and me can’t buy them at an affordable price or at all. You see, AI companies are needing RAM and GPU more and more so AI can learn better. Because these companies have gotten so much money from other companies who like their AIs, they can get hundreds of thousands or GPU units per day. For most GPUs the price has gone up by 10-30%.

Solutions for Gamers

Most gamers can’t afford most GPU or RAM upgrades as what was once a 100$ RAM is now $300! That is a lot of money, and a lot of gamers are having to hold off upgrading their PC (personal computer). It’s a super rare scenario to see any sales online or at stores. But, there is hope! Gamers, by telling our lawmakers that we don’t want AI, and by not buying from companies who give money to AI companies, AI will stop being thought of as a moneymaker. When everyone learns that nobody wants AI, they will stop focusing on AI, and my bet is the AI bubble will pop someday.