'Burn the boats': To stay at the bleeding edge, AI developers are trashing old tech fast

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang

JOSH EDELSON/AFP via Getty Images

• Hardware, software, and models are constantly evolving in AI.
• When tech becomes obsolete, developers say it's often best to 'burn the boats,' or trash it.
• The idea is a mindset shift for big enterprises, but it could be essential for AI success.

It's not uncommon for AI companies to fear that Nvidia will swoop in and make their work redundant. But when it happened to Tuhin Srivastava, he was perfectly calm.