Raspberry Pi's New AI Hat Adds 8GB of RAM for Local LLMs (www.jeffgeerling.com)

Raspberry Pi has unveiled its new AI HAT featuring the Hailo 10H chip, which comes with 8GB of RAM specifically designed to run local large language models (LLMs) independently from the Pi’s CPU and memory. With a power consumption of just 3W and an impressive 40 TOPS of INT8 performance, this new module promises to facilitate more efficient AI processing without straining the Raspberry Pi’s limited resources. However, despite its capabilities, the HAT struggles to outperform the Pi's CPU, particularly for LLMs that typically require more RAM, making it less compelling for individual users compared to existing options. The significance of this announcement lies in its potential applications for specific tasks, such as computer vision and inference processing. While it excels at vision-related functions, the AI HAT+ 2 may not provide sufficient advantages over simply opting for a Raspberry Pi with a larger RAM capacity. The promising mixed-mode operation allows for simultaneous vision and inferencing tasks, but current limitations hinder its practical implementation. Ultimately, this AI HAT appears better suited for niche applications, particularly in development environments, rather than as a comprehensive solution for everyday users looking to leverage LLM capabilities.