1. Hardware Trends Impacting Floating-Point Computations In Scientific Applications
- Author
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Dongarra, Jack, Gunnels, John, Bayraktar, Harun, Haidar, Azzam, and Ernst, Dan
- Subjects
Mathematics - Numerical Analysis ,90C10, 65F99, 65G30, 65G99 ,G.1.3 ,G.4 ,B.2.m ,D.3.4 - Abstract
The evolution of floating-point computation has been shaped by algorithmic advancements, architectural innovations, and the increasing computational demands of modern technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing (HPC). This paper examines the historical progression of floating-point computation in scientific applications and contextualizes recent trends driven by AI, particularly the adoption of reduced-precision floating-point types. The challenges posed by these trends, including the trade-offs between performance, efficiency, and precision, are discussed, as are innovations in mixed-precision computing and emulation algorithms that offer solutions to these challenges. This paper also explores architectural shifts, including the role of specialized and general-purpose hardware, and how these trends will influence future advancements in scientific computing, energy efficiency, and system design.
- Published
- 2024