[ExI] Is China racing to AGI?

[spike at rainier66.com]

From: John Clark <johnkclark at gmail.com> 
Sent: Sunday, 30 November, 2025 11:07 AM
To: spike at rainier66.com
Cc: ExI chat list <extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org>
Subject: Re: [ExI] Is China racing to AGI?

 

 

On Sat, Nov 29, 2025 at 4:28 PM <spike at rainier66.com <mailto:spike at rainier66.com> > wrote:

 

>So what if… our EVs have the option of a high-power GPU as a cabin heater, replacing the nichrome coil? 

 

 The trouble is a high-powered GPU of the sort used in AI, like the NVIDIA B200, costs between 25 and $50,000, depending on what sort of deal you can manage to swing. And they consume about 1200 Watts so they need to be liquid cooled or they'll start to glow like the filament in an incandescent light bulb. You could use a far less powerful consumer grade GPU but it still needs to operate the car so I don't know how much compute you'd have remaining to do other things. 

 

 John K Clark

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ja agree John, which is where I was going with my 0830 this morning post.  Using an earlier (and obsolete) processor, I am envisioning an air-cooled unit capable of perhaps a fifth of a modern GPU compute capacity at 1% the price.  If the processor and board can’t be purchased for about an ounce of US $20s or less, the whole idear is a no-fly zone.

 

As I wrote this morning, I think there are boards with obsolete but operational processors, for even used ones will do, formerly BitCoin miners, which will work for this purpose.  Since the processors will be throttled down most of the time, that former Bitcoin miner would have an easy life as an EV heater (analogous to a Yukon sled dog (retired and sent to the states for an easy life as a family pet down here it is warm (the retired sled dog will live way longer here (but do be aware he will not be at all happy with his comfortable new life (sled dogs are crazy bastards (don’t get a husky or malemute hoping he will ever be a mellow old pet (he won’t.))))))))

 

spike

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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