Researchers build system to train AI models on cheap computers without GPUs

A new system called MAGNET automates the entire process of building specialized AI models and runs them on ordinary CPUs instead of expensive GPUs — the specialized chips usually required. This could make it much cheaper and easier for anyone to create custom AI models trained on their own data, without needing to rent expensive cloud computing or own specialized hardware.

GPUs are the primary bottleneck for AI training — they're expensive, hard to get, and controlled by a few companies; if you can train useful models on regular CPUs, you remove that chokepoint and let many more people and organizations build AI systems for specific tasks.