VOA科学技术2023 什么是人工智能芯片？

What Are AI Chips?

什么是人工智能芯片？

Some kinds of computer chips have gained attention recently because they are used in computers linked to artificial intelligence (AI).

某些类型的计算机芯片最近引起了人们的关注，因为它们被用于与人工智能相关的计算机。

Some experts describe AI chips as similar to graphics¹ chips that speed up complex video games. Makers³ of AI chips say they are designed for AI systems like ChatGPT and will make them faster and less costly⁴.

一些专家形容人工智能芯片类似于加速复杂视频游戏的图形芯片。人工智能芯片制造商表示，它们是为ChatGPT等人工智能系统设计的，将使它们更快、成本更低。

The sudden interest in such chips is happening during what some experts call an AI revolution that could change the technology industry.

一些专家说人工智能革命可能改变科技行业，在此期间，人们突然对这种芯片产生了兴趣。

Nvidia, led by Jensen Huang, is a maker² of graphics chips. The company is based in Santa Clara, California. Nvidia also is a designer of AI chips. Stock shares of the company increased in value by 25 percent last Thursday after company officials predicted a large increase in income. The company's stock was briefly⁵ valued at more than $1 trillion recently.

由黄仁勋领导的英伟达是一家图形芯片制造商。该公司总部位于加利福尼亚州圣克拉拉。英伟达也是人工智能芯片的设计者。上周四，公司官员预测收入将大幅增长，之后该公司股价上涨了25%。该公司的股票最近一度估值超过1万亿美元。

What are AI chips?

什么是人工智能芯片？

Hanna Dohmen is a researcher with the Center for Security and Emerging Technology in Washington, D.C. She said: "There really isn't a completely agreed upon definition of AI chips."

汉娜·多曼是位于华盛顿特区特区的安全与新兴技术中心的研究员。她说：“人们对人工智能芯片的定义还没有完全达成一致。”

The term is used to talk about computing⁶ equipment that is specialized⁷ to deal with AI workloads⁸. For example, AI chips are used in "training" AI systems to work out difficult problems.

该术语用于谈论专门处理人工智能工作负载的计算设备。例如，人工智能芯片被用于“训练”人工智能系统来解决难题。

Coming from video games

出身于电子游戏

Three businessmen founded Nvidia in 1993 to expand the abilities of graphics on computers. Within a few years, the company had developed a new chip called a graphics processing unit, or GPU. GPUs speed up video games by performing several graphics jobs at the same time.

1993年，三位商人创立了英伟达，以扩展计算机的图形能力。几年内，该公司开发了一种名为图形处理单元的新芯片。图形处理单元通过同时执行多个图形任务来加速视频游戏。

The method is known as parallel processing. It would be important in the development of both games and AI.

这种方法被称为并行处理。它对游戏和人工智能的发展都很重要。

Two students from the University of Toronto used a GPU-based network to win a 2012 AI competition called ImageNet. The network, known as a neural¹⁰ network, could identify photo images at much lower error rates than competitors.

多伦多大学的两名学生使用基于图形处理单元的网络赢得了2012年ImageNet人工智能竞赛。该网络被称为神经网络，它可以以比竞争对手低得多的错误率识别影像制品。

The award began an interest in AI-related parallel processing. And it created new business for Nvidia and its competitors while providing researchers powerful tools for exploring AI development.

该奖项引发了人们对人工智能相关并行处理的兴趣。它为英伟达及其竞争对手开创出新的业务，同时为研究人员提供了探索人工智能开发的强大工具。

Modern AI chips

现代人工智能芯片

Eleven years after that ImageNet competition, Nvidia is the main supplier of chips for building and updating AI systems. One of its recent products, the H100 GPU, has 80 billion transistors¹¹. That is reportedly about 13 million more than Apple's latest top processor used in its MacBook Pro⁹ computers. However, this technology is costly. One online seller lists the H100 for $30,000.

在ImageNet竞赛举办11年后，英伟达成为构建和升级人工智能系统的芯片的主要供应商。其最新产品之一H100图形处理单元拥有800亿个晶体管。据报道，这比苹果在其MacBook Pro电脑中使用的最新顶级处理器多出约1300万个。然而，这项技术成本高昂。一位网络卖家将H100标价为3万美元。

Nvidia does not make these GPU chips itself. The company depends on manufacturers such as Taiwan Semiconductor¹² Manufacturing and South Korea's Samsung Electronics.

英伟达自己并不生产这些图形处理单元芯片。该公司依赖中国台湾半导体制造公司和韩国三星电子等制造商。

Some of the biggest buyers for AI chips are cloud-computing services. Technology companies, like Amazon and Microsoft, use these chips for cloud computing.

云计算服务是人工智能芯片的最大买家之一。像亚马逊和微软这样的科技公司将这些芯片用于云计算。

These companies permit buyers to pay for temporary computing power to do AI jobs. Other companies then can use AI systems without a big investment in buildings and equipment. And the cloud-computer services include other tools for drug discovery or helping¹³ to oversee¹⁴ customers.

这些公司允许买家购买临时计算能力用于从事人工智能工作。其他公司则可以使用人工智能系统，而无需对建筑和设备进行大量投资。云计算机服务还包括其他用于新药研发或帮助监督客户的工具。

Other uses and competition

其他用途和竞争

Parallel processing has many uses outside of AI. A few years ago, for example, Nvidia graphics cards were in short supply because cryptocurrency miners had bought most of them. A cryptocurrency is a digital form of money that is not overseen¹⁵ or controlled by a government.

并行处理在人工智能之外有很多用途。例如，几年前，英伟达显卡供不应求，因为加密货币矿工购买了大部分显卡。加密货币是一种不受政府监管或控制的数字货币形式。

Cryptocurrency miners set up banks of computers to solve mathematical problems for cryptocurrency rewards. That problem went away as the cryptocurrency market collapsed¹⁶ in early 2022.

加密货币矿工建立了计算机群来解决加密货币奖励的数学问题。随着加密货币市场在2022年初崩溃，这个麻烦消失了。

Researchers say Nvidia will face more competition. One possible competitor is Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), which already competes with Nvidia in the market for computer graphics chips. AMD has recently taken steps to build its own lineup of AI chips.

 

研究人员表示，英伟达将面临更多的竞争。超微公司就是可能的竞争对手之一，该公司已经在计算机图形芯片市场上与英伟达展开竞争。超微公司最近已经着手建立自己的人工智能芯片阵容。

1 graphics   

n.制图法，制图学；图形显示

参考例句：

• You've leveraged your graphics experience into the video area.你们把图形设计业务的经验运用到录像业务中去。
• Improved graphics took computer games into a new era.经改进的制图技术将电脑游戏带进了一个新时代。

2 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

3 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

5 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

6 computing   

n.计算

参考例句：

• to work in computing 从事信息处理
• Back in the dark ages of computing, in about 1980, they started a software company. 早在计算机尚未普及的时代（约1980年），他们就创办了软件公司。

7 specialized   

adj.专门的，专业化的

参考例句：

• There are many specialized agencies in the United Nations.联合国有许多专门机构。
• These tools are very specialized.这些是专用工具。

8 workloads   

（某一人或组织）工作量，工作负担( workload的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Project management software can provide such visibility into everyone's skills and workloads. 项目管理软件可以提供这样的能见度到每个人的技能和工作量。
• Doctors have complained of heavy workloads. 医生投诉工作越来越繁重。

9 pro   

n.赞成，赞成的意见，赞成者

参考例句：

• The two debating teams argued the question pro and con.辩论的两组从赞成与反对两方面辩这一问题。
• Are you pro or con nuclear disarmament?你是赞成还是反对核裁军？

10 neural   

adj.神经的，神经系统的

参考例句：

• The neural network can preferably solve the non- linear problem.利用神经网络建模可以较好地解决非线性问题。
• The information transmission in neural system depends on neurotransmitters.信息传递的神经途径有赖于神经递质。

11 transistors   

晶体管( transistor的名词复数 )； 晶体管收音机，半导体收音机

参考例句：

• In semiconductor receivers transistors take the place of vacuum tubes. 在半导体收音机中晶体管代替了真空管。
• We often turn to this handbook for information on transistors. 我们常从这本手册查阅有关晶体管的资料。

12 semiconductor   

n.半导体

参考例句：

• In the beginning,engineers hoped to use semiconductor lasers.在开始时，工程师们希望能够利用半导体激光器。
• The main agent of the company brand semiconductor sales.本公司主要代理各品牌半导体销售。

13 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

14 oversee   

vt.监督，管理

参考例句：

• Soldiers oversee the food handouts.士兵们看管着救济食品。
• Use a surveyor or architect to oversee and inspect the different stages of the work.请一位房产检视员或建筑师来监督并检查不同阶段的工作。

15 overseen   

v.监督，监视( oversee的过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He was overseen stealing the letters. 他被人撞见在偷信件。 来自辞典例句
• It will be overseen by ThomasLi, director of IBM China Research Laboratory. 该实验室由IBM中国研究院院长李实恭(ThomasLi)引导。 来自互联网

16 collapsed   

adj.倒塌的

参考例句：

• Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。
• The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。