TechLinked Podcast Summary Episode Title: Intel could make Nvidia GPUs, Big AI roundup + more!
Host/Author: Linus Media Group
Release Date: March 27, 2025

Intel’s Bold Move: Manufacturing Nvidia’s Gaming GPUs

In a surprising turn of events, Intel is reportedly finalizing a deal with Nvidia to have its foundry division produce Nvidia’s gaming GPUs. This potential partnership could be "an eerily perfect setup for the tech industry version of the Red Wedding from Game of Thrones," notes the Tech Analyst (00:45). The collaboration aims to secure foundry customers like Nvidia and Broadcom, aligning with Intel's new CEO, Lit Bu Tan's strategic goals. Despite the competitive rivalry in the gaming GPU market, the arrangement could help Nvidia navigate potential tariffs from the US government on chips manufactured by its current partner, TSMC (00:45).

AMD Dominates GPU Sales Amid Supply Challenges

AMD continues to lead in GPU sales, with CEO Dr. Lisa Su revealing that the company sold "10 times more RX9070 XT's in the first week than its predecessors" (01:03). This surge is attributed to ongoing issues like scalping and supply shortages, which have plagued the market. The influx of Radeon graphics cards underscores the intense competition, compelling Nvidia and Intel to consider unconventional partnerships to reclaim market share.

AI Advancements: Gemini 2.5, ChatGPT Enhancements, and More

The AI landscape is bustling with significant developments this week:

• Google DeepMind’s Gemini 2.5: Google has introduced new Gemini 2.5 thinking models, touted as "mighty powerful," though they currently excel only marginally on certain benchmarks (01:45). The Tech Analyst humorously suggests that "a new benchmark could show that all the AI suck," before clarifying more advancements are on the horizon.

• OpenAI’s Native Image Generation for ChatGPT-4O: OpenAI has integrated native image generation capabilities into its ChatGPT-4O model, eliminating the need for DALL-E. This update enhances ChatGPT's ability to produce consistent and high-quality images, a feature eagerly anticipated since the unveiling of GPT-4 nearly a year ago. As the Tech Analyst quips, "I guess they decided to wait until two weeks after Google launched the same thing in Gemini."

  Additionally, OpenAI has loosened guardrails on image generation, allowing the creation of images featuring public figures as long as they are adults, with an opt-out option for those who do not wish their likenesses to be used (03:15).

• Nvidia’s Project G Assist: Nvidia introduces Project G Assist, an AI assistant that operates locally on GPUs. Named after the company’s 2017 April Fool's joke, G Assist goes beyond providing gaming tips by controlling third-party accessories like wall lights and adjusting PC settings upon user commands (04:00). The Tech Analyst marvels, "How did Nvidia make a more useful AI assistant for Windows PCs than Microsoft?"

• Character AI’s Parental Insights Feature: Character AI has launched a new feature allowing users under 18 to send weekly activity reports to their parents or guardians. The Tech Analyst remarks sarcastically, "It's parental controls for the good kids that don't need them."

• Arc AGI 2 Benchmark: Introducing a new benchmark, Arc AGI 2 tests AI models on fluid intelligence and novel tasks, moving away from traditional problem-solving measures. The results reveal that nearly all models perform poorly, suggesting that true Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) is still a distant reality (05:45).

ASRock’s Motherboard Mishaps and BIOS Fixes

ASRock has been grappling with technical issues affecting some of its motherboards. The company acknowledged that certain BIOS versions caused boot problems with "random 9000 series CPUs" and addressed these with the new BIOS 3.20 update. However, concerns remain as users reported burnt CPUs and pins on motherboards. ASRock attributed the issue to "debris in the socket," which was subsequently removed, leading to successful long-term stress tests. Despite these assurances, many users demand more thorough investigations, feeling the provided explanations are insufficient (06:08).

Windows 11 Enhancements: Controller-Friendly Keyboard and Enhanced Search

Microsoft is rolling out exciting new features in a Windows 11 preview build:

• Controller-Friendly Keyboard: A new keyboard layout optimized for use with game controllers, enhancing the gaming experience on PCs (07:00).

• Improved Windows Search: The revamped search functionality, available exclusively on Copilot Plus PCs, leverages advanced neural networks to deliver more intuitive and efficient search results. The Tech Analyst sarcastically notes, "I guess Microsoft needed advanced neural networks to make search almost as useful as it was in Windows 7."

Apple Excluded from Google’s Antitrust Hearing

Apple has been barred from participating in Google’s upcoming antitrust hearing. An appeals court denied Google’s motion to allow Apple to testify about the potential loss of the $20 billion annual revenue from Safari’s default search engine. The Tech Analyst laments, "They just want to be together for the hearing and conduct shady deals," highlighting the tension between the tech giants (07:15).

Tesla Faces EV Rebate Ban in Canada

Canada has prohibited Tesla from receiving future federal electric vehicle rebates. This decision follows Tesla’s application for $43.1 million in rebates, which became controversial when four Canadian stores sold 8,653 vehicles in just three days—spiking to over 120 EVs sold per hour. The rapid sales occurred right before a planned pause in the rebate program, prompting the government to revoke Tesla’s eligibility (07:18).

Gravitics’ Orbital Carrier: The Future of Spacecraft?

Gravitics has secured funding from the US Space Force to develop an "orbital carrier," a space-based aircraft carrier designed to hold, maintain, and release satellites into orbit. While the primary focus is on satellite deployment, there are unconfirmed speculations that the orbital carrier could eventually transport "squadrons of starfighters," adding a futuristic twist to the project (07:18).

Conclusion

This episode of TechLinked delves into groundbreaking partnerships, intense market competitions, and the latest strides in artificial intelligence. From Intel’s unexpected collaboration with Nvidia to the evolution of AI assistants and significant policy changes impacting giants like Tesla and Apple, the tech landscape continues to evolve at a rapid pace. Stay tuned for more updates in the next episode!

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