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🧠Understand GPU vs TPU vs NPU vs ASIC

Tell GPUs, TPUs, NPUs, and ASICs apart by the workload each was built for — then defend your accelerator pick for a new AI product with one paragraph of architectural reasoning, not vendor branding.

Applied14 drops~2-week path · 5–8 min/daytechnology

Phase 1Why 'AI chip' isn't one thing

Four chip families, four bets on AI compute

4 drops

  1. An AI chip is a bet on where compute should happen

    6 min

    An AI chip is a bet on where compute should happen

  2. GPUs won AI by accident — and that's still their superpower

    7 min

    GPUs won AI by accident — and that's still their superpower

  3. TPUs and NPUs both rip out the GPU's flexibility — for opposite reasons

    7 min

    TPUs and NPUs both rip out the GPU's flexibility — for opposite reasons

  4. A custom ASIC is a bet that your workload won't change

    6 min

    A custom ASIC is a bet that your workload won't change

Phase 2Matching real workloads to silicon

Match real workloads to the right accelerator

5 drops

  1. Llama-scale training is still a GPU job

    7 min

    Llama-scale training is still a GPU job

  2. On-phone speech belongs on the NPU, not the GPU

    6 min

    On-phone speech belongs on the NPU, not the GPU

  3. Datacenter inference is where TPUs and custom ASICs actually shine

    7 min

    Datacenter inference is where TPUs and custom ASICs actually shine

  4. Autonomous driving is a custom ASIC problem hiding as a GPU problem

    7 min

    Autonomous driving is a custom ASIC problem hiding as a GPU problem

  5. A 30-second checklist beats a vendor benchmark every time

    6 min

    A 30-second checklist beats a vendor benchmark every time

Phase 3Where the lines blur

Where the lines blur — TPU is an ASIC

4 drops

  1. Your favorite chip is in someone's car: when categories overlap

    7 min

    Your favorite chip is in someone's car: when categories overlap

  2. Copilot+ moved NPUs into the laptop. What stays on the cloud?

    7 min

    Copilot+ moved NPUs into the laptop. What stays on the cloud?

  3. Trainium and MTIA make 'GPU vs ASIC' a moving target

    7 min

    Trainium and MTIA make 'GPU vs ASIC' a moving target

  4. The vendor said 'AI chip.' You need to know which one

    7 min

    The vendor said 'AI chip.' You need to know which one

Phase 4Defend your accelerator pick

Defend an accelerator choice in one paragraph

1 drop

  1. Pick one AI product and defend its accelerator in one paragraph

    8 min

    Pick one AI product and defend its accelerator in one paragraph

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a GPU, TPU, NPU, and ASIC?
This is covered in the “Understand GPU vs TPU vs NPU vs ASIC” learning path. Start with daily 5-minute micro-lessons that build from fundamentals to hands-on application.
Is a TPU just a type of ASIC?
This is covered in the “Understand GPU vs TPU vs NPU vs ASIC” learning path. Start with daily 5-minute micro-lessons that build from fundamentals to hands-on application.
Why do phones use NPUs instead of GPUs for on-device AI?
This is covered in the “Understand GPU vs TPU vs NPU vs ASIC” learning path. Start with daily 5-minute micro-lessons that build from fundamentals to hands-on application.
When should I pick a TPU or Trainium over an Nvidia GPU?
This is covered in the “Understand GPU vs TPU vs NPU vs ASIC” learning path. Start with daily 5-minute micro-lessons that build from fundamentals to hands-on application.
Do laptops with NPUs actually run AI faster than GPUs?
This is covered in the “Understand GPU vs TPU vs NPU vs ASIC” learning path. Start with daily 5-minute micro-lessons that build from fundamentals to hands-on application.

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