Big tech and AI startups would buy all the 4090's in existence if they had NVLink. You would not be able to find one for gaming without a multiple x markup
So we’re deeply hampering our AI startups, limiting their growth and possibilities by jacking up the prices x10, to reserve some silicium only for gamers which could perfectly be used for AI?
Maybe gamers can wait and the next technological leap should have priority?
I'd say it would be mutually beneficial if AI startups just skipped the part where they produce nothing of value despite having access to every resource, and skip ahead to the part where they go out of business.
Your AI startup has a 0.1% chance of becoming successful (going by SV definition of success, as yet another rent-seeking, privacy-abusing SaaS) while millions of gamers have a 99.9% chance of enriching their lives with entertainment. Statistically that's just the reality of this situation if you insist on being utilitarian.
We keep the GPUs, Nvidia keeps a diverse customer base, and you don't have to waste years of your life doing self-important busywork. Deal?
Yeah I guess to hell with all those people who are building the next generations of games and gaming platforms, and the millions of people who are looking forward to them. Let's sacrifice all their purpose and enjoyment so your AI startup can get cheaper hardware and push out some AI product no one wants, just so it can go out of business anyway when the VC money runs out.
People need entertainment, too, we're not machines.
If the current ML craze is really that impactful, it will happen regardless. If it can't break through it's because most of it is just a bunch of hot air.
AI is goldrush and Nvidia is selling golden shovels.
They try to play it longterm though. Goldrush ends at some point, if they upset "gardeners" gamers, these may be jumping onto AMD or even Intel shovels already. That was already the case during Bitcoin goldrush.
But I wouldn't be also surprised this is a plan agreed at closed door meetings between big corporations. They may want to just kill any independent AI advantage, and force everyone to their cloud walled gardens. Future will tell.
