Raspberry Pi Adds 8GB RAM for Local Gen AI
Raspberry Pi
AI
Generative AI
AI HAT
Llama 3.2
DeepSeek-R1-Distill
Tech Gadgets
AI Models
7
Edge AI Experimentation
Media Hype
6/10
Real Impact
7/10
What is the Viqus Verdict?
We evaluate each news story based on its real impact versus its media hype to offer a clear and objective perspective.
AI Analysis:
While not a revolutionary shift, this represents a key step in making generative AI more accessible. The lower cost and approachable hardware are likely to drive experimentation and development, particularly in niche applications and educational settings – the real impact will come from grassroots innovation.
Article Summary
Raspberry Pi is expanding its presence in the burgeoning generative AI space with the release of the AI HAT+2, a new add-on board designed for the Raspberry Pi 5. Priced at $130, this module offers 8GB of RAM and incorporates a Hailo 10H chip boasting 40 TOPS of AI performance. The HAT+2 shifts AI-related workloads to this dedicated component, freeing up the Raspberry Pi 5’s Arm CPU for other tasks. Unlike its predecessor, which focused on image-based AI, the HAT+2 is capable of running small gen AI models like Llama 3.2 and DeepSeek-R1-Distill, alongside Qwen models, allowing for training and fine-tuning. A demonstration showcased its ability to generate text descriptions from camera streams and translate French to English. However, a comparative test by tech YouTuber Jeff Geerling revealed that a standalone Raspberry Pi 5 with 8GB of RAM often outperformed the HAT+2, attributed to power draw limitations of the HAT+2 (3W vs. Pi 5’s 10W). Raspberry Pi indicates further larger models are in development for future updates.Key Points
- Raspberry Pi released the AI HAT+2, an $130 add-on board for the Raspberry Pi 5.
- The HAT+2 includes 8GB of RAM and a Hailo 10H chip for AI processing.
- The board allows for local execution of small generative AI models like Llama 3.2 and DeepSeek-R1-Distill.