This Week in AI: AI is Pushing Ever More GPU Sales
For Jan. 17, 2025: Apple's AI notifications, Meta pushing more AI chatbots, Adobe AI can edit thousands of images.News
Image: Dall-E/Prompt: Dan Ackerman
With all the hype over artificial intelligence, it's probably no surprise that GPU makers shipped more units in 2024 than they did the year prior. But a new report indicates there are also more GPUs being shipped worldwide than CPUs too.
More than 251 million GPUs were sold last year, according to a new report from John Peddie Research, which amounted to a jump of more than 6% from 2023. The report also noted that about 24% more GPUs are sold each year than CPUs.
Of course, this is just the latest sign of how much AI has impacted the tech industry. While GPU shipments aren't at all-time highs, the chips are increasingly becoming a common component in tech devices today.
Many of the announcements at CES 2025 indicated that trend is likely to continue. Major chipmakers AMD and Intel announced new CPUs with integrated GPUs, specifically designed to help power new AI features in Microsoft's Windows. NVIDIA announced desktop and specialized GPUs to help power AI tools in addition to gaming and other uses.
Qualcomm meanwhile continues to push its PC chips as well, including for laptops and mini-PCs to compete with Apple's well-regarded MacBook Pro and Mac Mini.
Fix coming for Apple's AI summaries
At first it was funny, now it may be an issue. One of the most high-profile features of Apple's new AI features for its iPhones, iPads and Mac computers, are the capabilities to summarize email threads, app alerts and messages notifications. Users almost immediately noticed that the feature, which is part of what the company calls Apple Intelligence, had a penchant for terse descriptions. In one high profile example, one user shared a breakup message he'd received through Apple's summary, "No longer in relationship; wants belongings from the apartment."
Now, Apple has promised to fix issues with its AI after pushing inaccurate summaries of news article headlines.
Though unusual for Apple, the setback is just the latest AI feature to draw criticism for sharing inaccuracies and misinformation. Google has notably struggled with AI summaries that spread incorrect health recommendations, including to add glue to pizza to keep the cheese from sliding off (Don't do that, by the way.)
Meta pushing even more AI
A new test version for Meta's popular WhatsApp messaging service moved AIs to a high profile spot in the bottom app navigation bar, according to a report from WABetaInfo and The Verge. When clicked, the AI button offers "Popular AI characters" users can interact with.
Meta's move is just the latest in a series of efforts to elevate AI, including by creating AI-generated accounts on Facebook and Instagram.
Adobe AI now powers batch editing
That sound you may have heard is either a cheer or groan from millions of interns who have learned that Adobe's Firefly AI image creator can resize and change out backgrounds for up to 10,000 images.
The feature, which The Verge reported is built on Adobe's developer tools, is currently built into the Firefly web app. Adobe has been jostling to remake its Photoshop brand as a host of startups have begun challenging its popularity on the back of AI industry hype.
More News from CES 2025
- NVIDIA RTX 50-Series GPUs Kick Off CES 2025
- The Best New Laptops at CES 2025
- NVIDIA, Intel, AMD Boost AI With Latest Chips At CES
- What to Expect from AI and PCs at CES 2025 pasting
- Everything We've Seen at CES 2025
Ian Sherr is a widely published journalist who's covered nearly every major tech company from Apple to Netflix, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, and more for CBS News, The Wall Street Journal, Reuters, and CNET.
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