Hacking The Metal: Into the GPU

Level of Instruction: Intermediate

Instructed by: eigentourist

Abstract:

There is a creature that lives inside our smartphones, laptops, and PCs, quietly driving their most cutting-edge behaviors. Much larger versions of it hide in datacenters around the world, constantly crunching through massive computation problems. And yet, even experienced engineers find it mysterious. Originally made to boost graphics performance, it has evolved into the engine that powers technologies behind systems like Claude and ChatGPT. In this workshop, we will uncover the nature of this creature: the GPU. Starting with its history and evolution, we will explore how a processor meant to accelerate 3D graphics became the driving force behind modern machine learning and AI. Along the way, we will dive into the design and behavior of neural networks, and discover how a machine built for graphics rendering learned to interpret images and speak human language. Finally, we will investigate how the complexity of neural networks made possible by GPUs can lead to unexpected and strange behaviors... some of which may not be accidental