Microsoft may pay you for lending your GPU to train AI
Not a moment's peace for your hardware.
Image by Photo by Gary Hershorn via Getty Images
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- Microsoft patented a system that could use idle PC graphics cards for AI training tasks.
- PC owners could receive credits exchangeable for cash, AI model access, or free software.
- The system would monitor GPU use, temperature, memory, and power before assigning work.
Key Takeaways by nexos.ai, reviewed by Cybernews staff.
Microsoft has filed a patent that would allow PC owners to earn money by letting the company use their GPU processing power to train AI.
The document reveals how graphics cards can be used to keep AI running when they’re not being used for work or gaming.
Microsoft introduced a platform that would break large AI training loads into smaller tasks and assign them to laptops, gaming PC’s or other devices.
The system would monitor the devices for an available GPU and assign work based on each device’s capabilities.
It would monitor GPU usage, temperature, memory usage, and power consumption.
The tasks would be tailored to existing resources, so the workload on certain GPUs could be increased or reduced depending on the scenario.
The document also revealed what’s in it for those who would agree to provide Microsoft with unused GPUs.
The hardware owners would receive credits that could be exchanged for cash, access to AI models, or free software, according to Insider Gaming.
It also noted that Microsoft wouldn’t use it for its benefit, but would instead serve as an intermediary between device owners and companies that need resources to train their AI models.
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It’s hard to determine how much money users would make out of it. As with many patents, it's uncertain whether the company will implement this system in practice.
Such a system could be a solution, given the ongoing memory crisis that also contributes to rising prices of tech devices.
Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, has recently faced online backlash after stating that unused RAM on users’ PCs could be used for AI development.
His words inspired a developer to write a Linux script that emails Sam Altman about unused RAM, turning the situation into an online joke.
