Apple chooses Google chips over Nvidia for AI
This decision is notable given Nvidia’s dominance in the AI processor market, where it commands roughly 80%.
According to a recent research paper, Apple has opted to use Google-designed chips instead of Nvidia’s for two crucial components of its AI software infrastructure. This choice is noteworthy as Nvidia is widely regarded as the leading provider of AI processors. The paper detailed that Apple employed Google’s tensor processing units (TPUs) in large clusters, specifically 2,048 TPUv5p chips for AI models on devices like iPhones and 8,192 TPUv4 processors for server models.
The research paper did not mention any use of Nvidia chips, despite Nvidia dominating about 80% of the AI processor market through its graphics processing units (GPUs). Unlike Nvidia, which sells its GPUs directly, Google offers TPUs through its Google Cloud Platform, requiring customers to use Google’s platform for access.
Why does this matter?
Apple has begun introducing parts of its new AI suite, Apple Intelligence, to beta users. This recent publication only disclosed the full extent of Apple’s reliance on Google hardware, despite earlier reports hinting at this partnership.
Apple’s engineers noted the potential for even larger, more sophisticated AI models using Google’s chips. However, Apple’s stock saw a minor decline of 0.1% to $218.24 following the research paper’s release.
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