What is AI compute?

AI compute is the processing power used to train and run artificial-intelligence models. Although AI feels like software, every prompt, image, video and model response ultimately depends on physical hardware operating in data centers.

Why GPUs matter

Graphics processing units can perform many calculations in parallel, which makes them useful for machine-learning workloads. Modern AI systems often use large groups of GPUs connected through high-speed networks rather than a single computer.

Training and inference

Training is the resource-intensive process of building or improving a model. Inference is the process of using a trained model to generate a result. Both consume computing capacity, but their infrastructure needs can differ.

Where the market comes from

Companies that do not want to build their own data centers can rent computing capacity from cloud and infrastructure providers. That creates a commercial market for access to specialized hardware.