ChinAI Newsletter

“ChinAI #249: China’s idle AI computing centers” by Jeffrey Ding

Jan 8, 2024

In this podcast, Jeff Ding discusses the issue of high idle rates in China's computing centers and the challenges they pose. The conversation also explores the implementation gap for large language models and the unfair scrutiny faced by Asian American officials. Furthermore, the podcast delves into investigative reporting on China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, along with China's strategy in the AI race.

07:04

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Jeff Ding

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Quick takeaways

The construction of idle AI computing centers in China is a result of irresponsible investments and insufficient demand, leading to high operating costs and unsustainability.

Asian American officials are facing unfair scrutiny and job restrictions in the US-China espionage shadow war, highlighting the treatment of foreign-born Chinese Americans and its impact on American interests.

Deep dives

High Idle Rates in China's Computing Centers

The construction of intelligent computing centers has been on the rise in China due to the increased interest in large models. However, a report highlights a major issue of these centers remaining idle or shutting down due to irresponsible investments and insufficient demand. The operating and depreciation costs of these centers, particularly at the 10,000 GPU scale, are extremely high, estimated at around 1 billion Renman B annually. The lack of impressive large model native applications and the focus on training rather than inference contributes to the unsustainable demand for these centers.

Introduction

3min

China's idle AI computing centers and unfair scrutiny faced by Asian American officials

2min

Clearance Rejection, Investigative Reporting, and China's AI Strategy

2min

Greetings from a world where…

making jambalaya with shrimp shells was the move

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Feature Translation: The dilemma of high idling rates in China's computing center rush

Context: Accompanying the explosion of interest around large models in China this past year, there has also been a surge in the construction of intelligent computing centers (more than 30 Chinese cities are currently building or planning to build such centers). Yet, an AItechtalk [AI科技评论] report identifies a major but neglected issue with this rush: computing centers remaining idle or even shutting down due to irresponsible investments and insufficient demand.

We’re starting 2024 off with a banger. Let's get [...]

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First published:
January 8th, 2024

Source:
https://chinai.substack.com/p/chinai-249-chinas-idle-ai-computing

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Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO.