Chapter 391: Terrifying Influence
“Rely on hard strength?”
This sentence echoed in Chen Hongyi’s mind.
Youthful spirit is a very rare thing.
In the world of capital, social graces, interest balancing, and unscrupulous means have long replaced the initial purity.
Everyone is used to smashing with resources, paving the way with relationships, and has long forgotten the feeling of winning victory purely through products and technology.
Chen Hongyi sensed boldness, youthful spirit, and strong confidence from the other’s tone.
He let out a long sigh, then said with approval and helplessness: “Mr. Zhang, if you have this confidence, we fully believe you and will give you the maximum support.
Before coming, I communicated with Old Fang. Biren Technology has what it has, but Moore Threads may not be much worse than them.
Biren Technology has Tencent’s investment, and Moore Threads also has our Shenzhen Capital Group.
In Pengcheng territory, Tencent’s investment department still has to give us some face.
Biren is in Shanghai, that’s fine, but among our investors, there is also Shanghai Guosheng, a Shanghai local state-owned capital.
I was thinking of having Old Fang pass the word to the Shanghai local government in the middle, so that Moore Threads also has an impression in the Shanghai local government.
Besides that, we actually have another trump card.”
When mentioning the trump card, not only was Zhang Jianzhong curious, but the other investment representatives were also equally curious. How come they hadn’t heard of it?
Chen Hongyi didn’t keep them in suspense and directly revealed the card: “Our vice president and General Manager Lin’s father, Professor Lin Taihang, are old friends for many years.
My idea is to have our vice president act as the lobbyist, and have Moore Threads hire Professor Lin as an executive.
With Professor Lin’s qualifications, serving as an executive is more than enough.”
Finally, Chen Hongyi summed up: “Alright, since you want to rely on hard strength, then we look forward to your victory speech.
Mr. Zhang, I believe you know the consequences of failure better than we do.
We will also do our best to ensure that everyone competes in a fair environment, eliminating off-field factors.”
After hearing this, Zhang Jianzhong felt a bit regretful. If he had known he could reach Lin Ran’s Father, he wouldn’t have refused so quickly.
However, such emotions only appeared for an instant before vanishing without a trace, replaced by a stronger belief.
“Rest assured, Manager Chen, we will definitely be the final winners!”
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman sat in front of the studio lens, looking relaxed.
Behind him, the big screen showed a constantly flashing left-right brain architecture diagram. This was a temporarily arranged interview.
The global tech community was waiting for his interpretation of this disruptive concept proposed by his Chinese counterpart.
“Sam, the left-right brain architecture concept has recently caused a huge uproar in the industry.
Some say it’s the future of AI hardware, others think it’s just another flashy hype.
Can you explain to us what this really means?” the host asked directly.
Sam smiled slightly, leaning forward as if to close the distance with the audience. Silicon Valley executives are almost all expert speakers skilled at disseminating personal ideas, after all, it’s basic skill for raising investment.
“This is not just a technical architecture, but an embodiment of a philosophical concept. Our LLM models, when handling tasks like logical reasoning and data analysis, are like a powerful left brain.
They are fast and precise in calculation, but when facing tasks that require intuition, creativity, and pattern recognition, they start to show limitations.
We discovered that the human brain is powerful because of the division of labor and collaboration between the left and right brains.
The left brain handles logic and language, while the right brain dominates spatial sense, emotion, and non-linear thinking.
Professor Lin’s idea is very forward-looking. I think this will be a sufficiently effective solution.”
He pointed to the big screen behind him: “Our cooperation with Nvidia has made their GPU our powerful ‘left brain’ chip, responsible for massive logical calculations and data processing.
But we still need a ‘right brain’, a chip that works in a completely different way.”
The host followed up: “So, what is special about this ‘right brain’ chip? What is its essential difference from traditional chips? Professor Lin didn’t explain it very clearly in his live broadcast. We want to hear OpenAI’s viewpoint on this?”
“It imitates the way the brain works, not the von Neumann architecture,” Sam explained. “It doesn’t process instructions step by step like traditional chips.
It works like neurons, transmitting information through pulses and only activating when needed.
This means it can work with extremely low energy consumption and extremely high efficiency when handling perception, pattern recognition, and even complex optimization problems.”
“We can imagine a future scenario,” Sam’s eyes were filled with longing. “The left brain generates code and writes articles; the right brain can instantly identify potential loopholes in the code or find more creative ways of expression in papers.
Between them, it’s not simple information transmission, but synergistic evolution, like two partners that learn from and complement each other.
We think this is a very imaginative direction, and we are also seeking partners to experiment in this direction.”
“One last question, Intel’s global CEO expressed high appreciation for Professor Lin’s viewpoint, believing that left-right brain architecture is the necessary path to general AGI.” the host said.
Sam Altman grinned. It would be strange if Intel didn’t say that.
As soon as Lin Ran proposed the left-right brain architecture, Intel was the most excited. Finally, the wait was over.
For two consecutive days, first Intel’s CEO spoke out in the media, expressing absolute approval of Lin Ran’s viewpoint, and then casually said they had been researching the right brain chip for a long time.
Intel executives tweeted: “We should rename the Loihi chip to the right brain chip.”
The stock price soared continuously, with a 30% increase in two days, considered the only true concept stock for left-right brain architecture.
What is influence? This is influence. A live broadcast you did in China can cause global shock and give an old giant like Intel a glimpse of squeezing into the US Stock Market BIG7.
The US Stock Market BIG7 doesn’t include Intel. Since the left-right brain architecture appeared, Wall Street institutions have started shouting that BIG7 will become BIG8.
“What I want to ask is, is this the only path? Are there other routes?” the host asked.
After thinking for a moment, Sam Altman said: “I don’t know.
Additionally, I want to add that I know Intel’s Loihi chip is similar to a neuromorphic chip, but I hope everyone doesn’t forget that IBM also started neuromorphic chip attempts very early. They also have great products like TrueNorth and NorthPole.”
The corners of Sam’s mouth curved up slightly. He was already laying the groundwork for the upcoming negotiations with Intel and IBM.
Globally, big shots in the fields of artificial intelligence and chips have come forward one after another, stating that the left-right brain chip is a great idea.
The underlying logic is that they are dissatisfied with the status quo. Everyone is digging for gold, but the gold hasn’t been dug up yet, while Nvidia, the one selling shovels, is making a fortune, becoming the first company in the US Stock Market with a market capitalization exceeding four trillion US dollars.
The emergence of the right brain chip concept is perfectly timed. All Silicon Valley technology companies hope to cultivate another enterprise to compete with Nvidia.
Just like Musk’s XAI cooperating with Samsung, self-developing chips is the same reason. Monopoly has too much discourse power, seriously affecting the interests of all other companies besides Nvidia.
As a result, with the endorsement of big shots, the market capitalizations of companies globally related to the right brain chip have all soared.
A-share Cambricon’s market capitalization has soared, tripling in seven days.
CITIC Construction Investment urgently released a research report shouting the wild slogan: “Trillion is just the starting point, ten trillion is not the end.”
Online big V White House inauguration ceremony couldn’t even become news; the news pages were occupied by the booming stock market.
At the postdoctoral stage, Xu Xian finally had a single room. He chose not to go home for New Year’s Day but stayed at Yenching University, since Spring Festival was coming soon, and he would go back during the Spring Festival holiday.
He saw that the high school classmate group was 999+ again. Clicking in, he found out that one of their high school classmates at the Institute of Neuroscience of the Chinese Academy of Sciences had been recruited by E Fund to be a public fund manager.
In the past few days, E Fund has been heavily advertising on Alipay, Weibo, and elevator spaces.
Imagine, after a hard day at work, you come home, look up, and see an ad in the stairwell featuring a high school classmate you haven’t seen in a long time—that’s sure to cause an explosion.
Xu Xian scrolled through carefully and learned what was going on. Everyone envied this classmate’s sheer luck. His PhD was in animal neuroscience research, which barely touches artificial intelligence, and then E Fund promoted him as an expert, a specialist in neuromorphic chip research, and also a high school classmate of Lin Ran.
As soon as he joined, he became a fund manager, launching a fund themed on artificial intelligence, leading other PhDs by at least three years.
In the classmate group, those in the know were venting in another small group: “Using Intel’s neuromorphic chip makes you an expert? I ordered a Loihi chip from Huaqiangbei today. Can I become an expert too? These financial institutions have no shame left just to cut retail investors’ leeks.”
“Xu Xian, logically speaking, you are the high school classmate closest to Ran Shen. How come all the benefits went to outsiders?”
“Xu Xian, when will you take off? When you do, bring your brothers along.”
Basically, all public funds are chasing this heat, launching artificial intelligence themed funds, trying to get a piece of the booming market.
Apollo Technology, Lin Ran’s office. Pony sat on the sofa for receiving guests, while Lin Ran sat in his office chair.
“Intel wants to sell Loihi chips to us? Wants to reach deep cooperation with us?” Lin Ran’s eyes narrowed. “This is ill-intentioned.”
Pony nodded: “Exactly, that’s what I think too. From any angle, we can’t possibly choose Intel.”
Lin Ran said: “Pony, string them along, don’t refuse yet, see what tricks they can come up with.”
Lin Ran was thinking of stringing along Intel, but Intel was thinking of using Deep Red to negotiate with OpenAI.
They knew that with the Nvidia case ahead, Chinese Companies would not cooperate with them, whether for secrecy or stability considerations, cooperation was impossible.
However, Sam Altman’s interview had already sent a clear signal, wanting them to fight to the death with IBM and then bleed them heavily.
Intel also needed to bring in external aid, introduce a catfish to muddy the negotiation waters.
OpenAI’s negotiations were held in a top-floor suite of a high-end hotel in San Francisco. Sam Altman and Andrew Kaplan sat on one side of the conference table, facing delegations from Intel and IBM respectively.
To create a tense opposing atmosphere, Sam deliberately scheduled both companies’ negotiations on the same day, staggered by just one hour.
The first to enter was Intel’s team, led personally by the company president and the head of the neuromorphic computing department, Pat Gelsinger.
Gelsinger was an experienced negotiation veteran. After sitting down, without small talk, he got straight to the point: “Mr. Altman, Mr. Kaplan, we received your cooperation intention.
To be honest, we are very interested in cooperating with OpenAI to build the right brain architecture, and we believe the Loihi chip can play a key role in this architecture.
We want to know, what do you value about Loihi?”
Sam didn’t answer directly but countered: “Pat, the situation of the Loihi project within Intel, I think you know better than I do. It has huge investment, but the commercialization prospects have always been unclear.
In the past, there were even voices within Intel to cancel this project.
We are providing an opportunity, one that can turn Loihi from a failed project into a future star.
We know Loihi performs well in perception tasks, but it lacks synergy with powerful logic processors.
We can perfectly solve this problem through the left-right brain architecture.”
Gelsinger said: “Of course we see this opportunity, but the problem is that the left-right brain architecture was proposed by Randolph. OpenAI doesn’t know exactly how to design it.
You also need to experiment, need a lot of testing and trial and error, need time. This path is also full of uncertainty.
We are willing to provide resources for this. OpenAI needs to provide specific requirements and technical support.”
Whether the negotiation conditions are sincere depends on the time.
Intel’s proposal would definitely be sincere in the past, but now, it’s far from enough.
Sam shook his head, leaned back in his chair, appearing completely relaxed.
During negotiations, the body can release signals.
“Pat, you may not understand what we mean.
This is not a simple technical cooperation.
We are looking for a core partner for a brand new computing ecosystem.
Nvidia dominates the left brain ecosystem absolutely. We hope to have an equally powerful ally in the right brain ecosystem.
We need not only chips, but also all of Intel’s resources, talent, and computing card support.
We can help you redefine Loihi, push it to the market, even form a force to contend with Nvidia.
Of course, in return, Intel needs to bear all the R&D costs and provide us with a considerable financial support.”
Sam Altman revealed his true intentions: not only bear all the R&D costs, but also pay money to us.
Gelsinger’s brows furrowed tightly. These conditions were too harsh.
He was about to retort when Sam’s watch suddenly beeped.
Sam glanced at it, then smiled slightly and said to Gelsinger: “Sorry, Pat, IBM’s team is already waiting downstairs. You can think about it first, and we’ll talk later.”
Gelsinger’s face instantly turned ugly, just as they had guessed. OpenAI had indeed brought in IBM to pressure them.
IBM’s delegation was led by chief scientist Dario Gill. As soon as he entered, he sensed the tension in the room.
He saw the cunning in Sam Altman’s expression and the confident smile on his face.
“Sam, we know you’re talking with Intel,” Dario said directly. “But I want to emphasize that IBM’s TrueNorth project is more mature and forward-looking than Loihi. Our chips have deeper accumulation and more extensive application cases in the neuromorphic computing field.”
Sam nodded, signaling Andrew Kaplan to start the presentation.
Andrew presented a series of PPTs, detailing the grand blueprint of the “left-right brain” architecture.
When the PPT was halfway through, Sam interrupted him and looked directly at Dario: “Dario, we don’t doubt TrueNorth’s technical strength.
But what we value more is who can invest more resources in this grand plan.
We need not only technology, but also funds, talent, and market promotion. Whoever can fight side by side with us in this new ecosystem will get this right brain position.”
Dario Gill was a calm negotiator, but he was also shocked by Sam’s directness and greed.
Of course he knew what OpenAI was doing—they were using Intel to force IBM.
He took a deep breath and said: “Sam, we are willing to provide 100 million US dollars in R&D funds and dispatch our best team to cooperate with you.”
Hearing this number, Sam’s face showed no waves. He took out his phone and sent a message.
Not long after, his phone beeped—it was a message from Pat Gelsinger.
Sam glanced at it, then said to Dario: “Dario, Intel just offered 150 million US dollars in R&D funds and promised to provide all their neuromorphic computing patent authorizations. What can IBM offer?”
Dario’s face darkened. He hadn’t expected Intel’s reaction to be so fast.
He knew this was not simple cooperation, but a high-stakes gamble concerning the company’s future fate.
His phone screen lit up too.
Dario picked it up and looked: “Sorry, Sam, it seems Intel is not willing to offer 150 million US dollars.
Deep Red has offered better conditions. I think we need to reconsider.”
Deep Red?
Sam Altman’s face became exceptionally ugly.
He hadn’t received a message from Intel. Intel hadn’t offered a higher price; he was bluffing Dario.
His acting was good, masking his inner turmoil with calmness.
But this sudden news still disrupted all his plans.
Who would choose OpenAI when they could cooperate with Deep Red?
After all, this concept was proposed by Deep Red.
“Impossible! Absolutely impossible!” Sam Altman thought to himself.
He said gravely: “Are you bluffing me?”
Dario laughed happily. The depression from being chased and forced to sign such unequal conditions was swept away: “Look, Sam, you’re still too naive.
See, what is this.”
In the iMessage chat, Gelsinger’s avatar was prominently on the screen. He had sent a picture, with Lin Ran on the left and a Chinese person on the right.
“Sam, the one on the right is Intel’s board director, Chen. It seems their talk is going well.” Dario said.
“No, they’re just chatting happily. What does it have to do with IBM?” Sam Altman gritted his teeth inwardly.
