Chinese researchers develop ultra-efficient AI processor

Published by Adrien - Monday, September 16, 2024 - Other Languages: FR, DE, ES, PT
Source: Nature Electronics

A new chip could soon revolutionize the world of artificial intelligence. In China, researchers have developed a new type of processor, using carbon nanotubes instead of silicon.

This innovation, recently published in Nature Electronics, aims to solve a major issue: the energy consumption of artificial intelligence models. Current systems, which are highly computation-intensive, consume vast amounts of energy. But this new chip could potentially change that.


At the heart of this advancement are carbon nanotubes, microscopic structures made of carbon atoms arranged in hexagons. They offer better electrical conductivity than silicon, thereby reducing energy consumption.

The new chip, a tensor processing unit (TPU), contains 3,000 carbon nanotube transistors. These transistors are organized into a systolic array, a configuration that enables the parallel processing of multiple data, increasing computational speed.

Tests have shown that this TPU consumes only 295 microwatts of energy, while performing a trillion operations per watt. This represents a significant step forward compared to current chips, paving the way for more efficient and energy-saving AI systems.

The researchers tested their chip by training a neural network on image recognition tasks. The result? An 88% accuracy, with minimal energy usage. These impressive performances could indeed signal the beginning of a new era for artificial intelligence.

The Chinese team plans to continue their research to further improve the performance of this chip and envisions integrating it with silicon-based processors, thereby creating even more powerful hybrid systems.

What is a carbon nanotube?

Carbon nanotubes are tiny cylindrical structures composed of carbon atoms arranged in hexagonal patterns. They're only a few nanometers in diameter (1 nanometer = 1 billionth of a meter) and are thousands of times thinner than a human hair.

Their unique structure gives carbon nanotubes exceptional properties, including high electrical and thermal conductivity alongside remarkable mechanical strength. These characteristics make them particularly attractive for replacing silicon in semiconductors, promising a new generation of faster and more energy-efficient chips.
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