News Google unveils Tensor Processing Unit hardware

Hmm this is actually really interesting. I never thought about making a processor intentionally "less accurate" but when you're, in a way, trying to replicate the human brain, constant accuracy isn't a necessity. It does get me to wonder, though, what would happen if it makes a mistake in its learning, and ends up remembering that mistake for good. Again - not so different from humans, but depending on exactly what they intend to use it for, this extra speed might not be worth it.

 

"Less accurate"
"Kill the humans"

 

isnt this the chip from terminator !

arghhh SKYNET - we are all doomed

 

Less accurate = RISC ! A very old concept, and programming an ASIC isn't impossible to do in three weeks.

Especially given their resources and funding....

dunx

 

I think there's a bit of confusion here. RISC is known for being less precise, but just about every commercial processor in existence will give answers of an equal level of accuracy (which is 100%).

Think of it like this: The answer to 1.1+2.2=3.3. Whether you have an x86, a MIPS, or an ASIC, all 3 of those will tell you that answer every single time. But Google's processor might make a mistake and say the answer 3.2 or 3.4. That's a lack of accuracy, because not only is it wrong, but the answer isn't consistent. If it were a lack of precision but accuracy was ok, then it would say 1.1+2.2=3 every single time.

Does that make sense?

 

Meanwhile if you try to translate a western language in google translate, say English to German (to make it easy), it's all a pitiful disaster, and not improving for years and years and years. And let's not even mention asian languages and such, I think we all gave up on that one and accepted that that isn't a thing.

And if you are a user that does not something google thinks you want you are forced to suffer it, and nothing can make all their AI and algorithms clear that maybe amongst the 7+ billion people there might be some who do not want what they have decided everybody wants and needs.

And I could go on and on.