Re:Apple introduces M4 chip
by vineyardmike on Wednesday May 08, 2024 @04:14AM
(#40295562)
I agree with everything you said but the TSMC bit. They are quite literally competing with NVidia et al for fab space for customers chips. Sure they get the AI bits built-in to existing products but surely they’re bigger/more expensive to manufacture and commit from TSMC because of it.
I think we’re on the same page.
I was trying to say that there was still a cost to using their own chips for server AI because they still had to pay to have them made so they weren’t “free” because they’re Apple products as opposed to buying nVidia parts.
You’re right, there is a cost to them to put the AI stuff on end user chips too since die space isn’t free and extra circuits mean fewer chips fit per wafer.
Apple doesn’t have to build the data centers. Apple doesn’t have to buy the AI capacity themselves (even if from TSMC for Apple designed chips). Apple doesn’t have to have the personnel for the data centers or the air conditioning. They don’t have to pay for all the network bandwidth.
There are benefits to the user to having the AI run on their own devices in terms of privacy and latency as mentioned by the GP.
But there are also benefits to Apple simply because it means it’s no longer their resources being used up above and beyond electricity.
I keep reading about companies having trouble getting GPUs from the cloud providers and that some crypto networks have pivoted to selling GPU access for AI work as crypto profits fall.
Apple doesn’t have to deal with any of that. They have underused silicon sitting out there ready to light up to make their customers happy (and perhaps interested in buying a faster device).