Escaping the Matrix: AI and Submarine Cables

We at the moment are transferring from sci-fi to actuality with the launch of many AI companies which are poised to remodel industries and reshape our each day lives.

Whereas knowledge facilities are increasing quickly to help AI necessities, there may be much less readability on how AI may influence long-haul community infrastructure, particularly submarine cables.

That is precisely what I delved into throughout my keynote at Submarine Networks World 2024.

On this presentation, I checked out three massive questions:

1. How massive are AI coaching knowledge units and fashions?

To grasp AI’s potential influence on submarine cables, we should think about the sheer dimension of coaching knowledge and fashions.

I used to be curious to know simply how massive the coaching knowledge and fashions are by way of gigabytes, as an alternative of the extra obscure metrics used within the AI world like parameters or tokens. In spite of everything, this knowledge is the uncooked materials that might be carried across the globe on submarine cables. 

2. How will AI influence demand for submarine cable bandwidth?

Over the previous couple of years, I have been asking individuals how AI may form the demand of submarine cable bandwidth. I introduced some outcomes of this non-scientific, faux survey within the chart under.

Even with no definitive reply to this query, it’s value digging into what components might play a task.

Two phrases: location issues.

A mannequin might require pulling coaching knowledge from sources situated everywhere in the world, or it might be relying purely on an information set already saved regionally. Mannequin coaching and inference (utilizing an AI mannequin) may happen inside the identical metropolis, or the mannequin could also be distributed globally throughout a number of knowledge facilities.

And that is simply the tip of the iceberg.

Elements comparable to knowledge dimension, mannequin coaching frequency, energy availability, knowledge sovereignty legal guidelines, inference latency, and on-device inference may also affect bandwidth necessities.

3. Is there an AI-fueled bubble in new submarine cables?

Many veterans of the telecom trade will recall the submarine cable funding bubble (and subsequent meltdown) within the late Nineties/early 2000s. Is the present degree of funding much like what occurred 1 / 4 of a century in the past?

Whereas a whole lot of billions of {dollars} are flooding into GPUs, knowledge facilities, and energy era, the funding into new cables is extra modest.

Shifting ahead

I closed with a have a look at some components to regulate because the AI revolution progresses. Specifically, the placement of future AI factories is vital. Will these be in areas which are unconnected or underserved by submarine cables?

Extra Information This Means 👇

You’ll find my full 2024 Submarine Networks World presentation over right here.

Obtain the slides. Free your thoughts.