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What is a GPU?
A GPU is a computer chip built to do many small calculations at the same time, which makes it great for graphics and AI.
- Category Hardware
- Also called graphics card, graphics processing unit
- Updated 20 Oct 2026
GPU, explained simply
GPU stands for graphics processing unit. It was first built to draw video games and images quickly.
It turns out the same chip is very good at AI. AI needs huge piles of simple math done all at once, and a GPU does that well.
That is why most AI models are trained and run on GPUs. If you run an AI tool on your own computer, a good GPU can make it much faster.
On ITG Now, our free tool guides say when a tool runs better with a GPU and when a normal laptop is fine.
Related terms
CPUVRAMCUDAAI chipComputeLocal AI
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Questions people ask about GPU
GPU vs CPU: what is the difference?
A CPU does a few tasks very quickly, one after another. A GPU does thousands of small tasks at the same time, which suits AI.
Do I need a GPU to use AI tools?
Not for most. Websites and apps like chatbots run on someone else's chips. You mostly need a strong GPU to run big models on your own computer.
Why are GPUs important for AI?
AI models are mostly large amounts of simple math. GPUs can do that math in parallel, so training and running models is much faster.