On: Nvidia Uses AI to Slash Bandwidth on Video Calls

[edoloughlin]

* instead of sending a stream of pixel-packed images, it sends specific reference points on the image around the eyes, nose, and mouth*

So they're trading bandwidth for CPU load at either end. I wonder what the tradeoff is in terms of energy? Would this result in higher CO2 emissions?

[Spivak → edoloughlin]

Maybe but you're discounting the energy required to send those 99% of pixels over the network. Just because it's not your CPU doesn't mean it's not doing work.

[datameta → Spivak]

Indeed, in the case of LTE comms and mobile chips the difference in power usage is greater than six orders of magnitude.

[pier25 → edoloughlin]

Or maybe lower since less data is transmitted?

[deeringc → edoloughlin]

> So they're trading bandwidth for CPU load at either end

Given it's Nvidia I would imagine it's more likely going to be GPU load rather than CPU load. Don't underestimate the current computational overhead of existing lossy video compression.