6 ms·

why do you think allocating hardware to gamers is proper usage? maybe AI cures cancer, or at least writes some code

by testartr 10mo ago

ptero 10mo ago
For example: allocating the resources to only few industries deprives everyone else: small players, hobbyists, gamers, tinkerers from opportunities to play with their toys. And small players playing with random toys is a source of multiple innovations.
fzeroracer 10mo ago
What do you think happens when the majority of consumers are priced not only out of bread, but also circuses?
- natebc 10mo ago
  History has told us it won't be good for the lords when that happens.
XorNot 10mo ago
Or you could look at reality where it generates fake social media posts s lot and we could all ask, why is this valuable?
deleted 10mo ago
[deleted]
missedthecue 10mo ago
Unless I get all the resources I want, when I want, all at low prices, the market has obviously failed.
- selfhoster11 10mo ago
  Yes, except unironically. A market that cannot efficiently serve the vast majority of the population is a failed market.
  - eldenring 10mo ago
    There's a great way to express the utility something has to you to get it. You can spend more money.
hakfoo 10mo ago
Gamers at least enjoy their GPUs and memory. The tone from the AI industry sounds more like a dependent addict by comparison. They're well past the phase where they're enjoying their fix and into the "please, just another terawatt, another container-ship full of Quadros, to make it through the day" mode. More seriously, I could see some legitimate value in saying "no, you can't buy every transistor on the market." It forces AI players to think about efficiency and smarter software rather than just throwing money at bigger wads of compute. This might be part of where China's getting their competitive chops from-- having to do more with less due to trade restrictions seems to be producing some surprisingly competitive products. It also encourages diversification. There is still no non-handwavey road to sustainable long-term profitability for most of the AI sector, which is why we keep hearing answers like "maybe the Extra Fingers Machine cures cancer." Eventually Claude and Copilot have to cover their costs or die. If you're nVidia or TSMC, you might love today's huge margins and willing buyers for 150% of your output, but it's simple due diligence to make sure you have other customers available so you can weather the day the bubble bursts. It's also a solid PR play. Making sure people can still access the hobbies they enjoy is an easy way to say you're on the side of the mass public. It comes from a similar place to banning ticket scalping or setting reasonable prices on captive concessions. The actual dollars involved are small (how many enthusiast PCs could you outfit with the RAM chips or GPU wafer capacity being diverted to just one AI data centre?) but it makes it look like you're not completely for sale to the highest bidder.

why do you think allocating hardware to gamers is proper usage? maybe AI cures cancer, or at least writes some code

ptero 10mo ago

For example: allocating the resources to only few industries deprives everyone else: small players, hobbyists, gamers, tinkerers from opportunities to play with their toys. And small players playing with random toys is a source of multiple innovations.

fzeroracer 10mo ago

What do you think happens when the majority of consumers are priced not only out of bread, but also circuses?

natebc 10mo ago
History has told us it won't be good for the lords when that happens.

XorNot 10mo ago

Or you could look at reality where it generates fake social media posts s lot and we could all ask, why is this valuable?

deleted 10mo ago

[deleted]

missedthecue 10mo ago

Unless I get all the resources I want, when I want, all at low prices, the market has obviously failed.

selfhoster11 10mo ago
Yes, except unironically. A market that cannot efficiently serve the vast majority of the population is a failed market.
- eldenring 10mo ago
  There's a great way to express the utility something has to you to get it. You can spend more money.

hakfoo 10mo ago

Gamers at least enjoy their GPUs and memory. The tone from the AI industry sounds more like a dependent addict by comparison. They're well past the phase where they're enjoying their fix and into the "please, just another terawatt, another container-ship full of Quadros, to make it through the day" mode. More seriously, I could see some legitimate value in saying "no, you can't buy every transistor on the market." It forces AI players to think about efficiency and smarter software rather than just throwing money at bigger wads of compute. This might be part of where China's getting their competitive chops from-- having to do more with less due to trade restrictions seems to be producing some surprisingly competitive products. It also encourages diversification. There is still no non-handwavey road to sustainable long-term profitability for most of the AI sector, which is why we keep hearing answers like "maybe the Extra Fingers Machine cures cancer." Eventually Claude and Copilot have to cover their costs or die. If you're nVidia or TSMC, you might love today's huge margins and willing buyers for 150% of your output, but it's simple due diligence to make sure you have other customers available so you can weather the day the bubble bursts. It's also a solid PR play. Making sure people can still access the hobbies they enjoy is an easy way to say you're on the side of the mass public. It comes from a similar place to banning ticket scalping or setting reasonable prices on captive concessions. The actual dollars involved are small (how many enthusiast PCs could you outfit with the RAM chips or GPU wafer capacity being diverted to just one AI data centre?) but it makes it look like you're not completely for sale to the highest bidder.