CUDA Drives NVIDIA’s AI Dominance, Former Researcher Claims

In a recent interview, former NVIDIA researcher Rihard Jarc highlighted the critical role of the CUDA software ecosystem in reinforcing NVIDIA's position in the artificial intelligence market. He emphasized that CUDA has enabled NVIDIA to surpass competitors and achieve significant financial success.

According to Jarc, the primary difference between NVIDIA and competitors like Intel and AMD lies in the existence of CUDA, which remains an insurmountable "wall" for others despite their efforts to integrate their solutions and make them more open to developers. For example, AMD's ROCm platform and HIPIFY tools allow for the conversion of CUDA code into portable HIP C++, making it compatible with ROCm.

However, the use of such code porting tools can significantly increase costs for clients who opt for platforms other than NVIDIA. Jarc argues that investing in the CUDA ecosystem requires a one-time expenditure that delivers cutting-edge performance and access to essential features, making NVIDIA the more favorable choice for AI applications.

Companies like Tiny Corp recommend NVIDIA's AI systems over AMD, emphasizing that the NVIDIA platform "Just Works," providing users with all necessary functionalities without additional effort and expense.