Altman says scarce DRAM belongs in data centers, not PCs
Original title: Sam Altman says it’s better for RAM to be in a data center than on your desk
He argues personal computers leave DRAM idle most of the time while cloud deals, including Stargate, reserve future supply.
On the Cheeky Pint podcast, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said demand for local inference does not remove the need for data-center memory. He called it terrible, from a global allocation view, for limited DRAM to sit in personal computers and be used only about five percent of the time. The Verge says Samsung and SK Hynix have long-term deals with cloud operators and projects such as OpenAI's Stargate, which it links to higher prices for laptops and phones.
Unconfirmed: Altman's remarks are an allocation opinion, not an announced OpenAI product or purchasing change.
- Altman said many people assume open-source models end the need for data centers.
- He argued PCs use scarce DRAM only about five percent of the time.
- Samsung and SK Hynix have long-term deals with cloud operators and Stargate.
- The Verge links those chip purchases to higher laptop and phone prices.
From the original article
1 min read at theverge.com
Asked about supply chain shortages, like the ongoing RAM shortage, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said in an interview that it's "terrible" to have RAM in personal PCs instead of data centers. During his appearance on the Cheeky Pint podcast, where he also commented on AI's impact on math, Altman said: "A lot of people want local inference.
By Stevie Bonifield · theverge.com
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