The Extreme Cost of Training AIModels

It is not for everybody. Only bigtechs can affort these costs.

The cost of training artificial intelligence (AI) models has skyrocketed in just the past year. According to Epoch AI, a research firm, this increase reflects the growing complexity and capabilities of AI models.

Notable Examples: ChatGPT4o & Gemini

Two recent examples illustrate this trend:

1. ChatGPT-4 : Released by OpenAI in March, this model's training cost ranged from $41 million to$78 million, excluding staff salaries.

2. Gemini : Launched by Google in December, this model's trainingcost was estimated to be between $30 million and$191 million, also excluding staff salaries.

Comparison to Earlier Models

The costs of earlier AI models were significantly lower:

1. ChatGPT-3 (2020): $2 million to$4 million

2. PaLM (2022): $3 million to$12 million (computing costs only)

Implications for AI Research

The rising costs of AI development may make it challenging for academic and public institutions to keep up with cutting edge research.

Differences in Design and Functionality

The design and functionality of ChatGPT-4 and Gemini differ, which may explain the variations in their training costs:

1. ChatGPT-4 : Initially focused on text input, with later updates adding voice and image support.

2. Gemini: Designed as a multimodal large languagemodel (LLM) from the outset, with a focus on app delivery and user interaction.

Author

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