Nvidia, a prominent tech company, has gained widespread recognition for its contributions to AI, particularly through its processors crucial for training and operating large language models like ChatGPT and Google Bard. Nvidia’s stock and market valuation have experienced significant growth. In a recent interview with Andrew Ross Sorkin at the New York Times’ DealBook conference, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang shared the story of how a conversation with Elon Musk led to the development of the world’s first AI supercomputer.
According to Huang, Musk approached him during a conference and expressed the need for such a supercomputer. Subsequently, Huang and his team at Nvidia embarked on the project. After a few years of dedicated effort, they successfully delivered the world’s first AI supercomputer to OpenAI, a non-profit research organization co-founded by Musk. The initial purpose of building the supercomputer in 2012 was for Nvidia’s engineers to conduct tests, and it was finally delivered in 2018.
Known as DGX, the supercomputer boasts a capability of performing 2 petaflops of calculations per second, making it one of the most powerful computers globally. Huang mentioned that the company sells DGX for $250,000. During the time of the supercomputer’s development, Musk was actively involved with OpenAI as one of its founders. However, he later distanced himself from OpenAI, and Microsoft became one of its major partners. Musk cited disagreements with the management of OpenAI as one reason for his departure. He has consistently voiced concerns about the potential risks of AI, considering it a “fundamental risk to the future of humanity” and emphasizing the importance of cautious development.
