Enthusiast Runs an AI Model on an Xbox 360

X user Andrei David shared on Jan. 10 that he had successfully run an AI model on an Xbox 360 console, proving that even nearly two-decade-old hardware can adapt to modern AI innovations. 

Using a Xenon CPU (3.2GHz PowerPC w/ 3 cores) architecture and 512MB of unified memory, David managed to install and operate a model derived from Andrej Karpathy’s – llama2.c, a minimalistic implementation of the LLaMA 2 (large language model Meta AI) that represents a modern artificial intelligence architecture developed by Meta (formerly Facebook).

Inspired by EXO Lab’s earlier success in running AI on a Windows 98 Pentium II system, David took up the challenge to adapt llama2.c for the Xbox 360’s unique architecture. “LLM running on Xbox 360… Pure C implementation optimized for PowerPC architecture and Xbox memory management,” tweeted David, detailing the meticulous process behind the project.

The Xbox 360’s PowerPC architecture, while groundbreaking in its time, posed significant challenges for this experiment. Unlike modern x86 processors, the Xbox uses a big-endian format, necessitating careful byte-swapping to convert data properly. Furthermore, its unified memory system, a novelty when the console launched in 2005, required David to optimize memory allocation between the CPU and GPU within a shared 512MB RAM pool.

Despite the limited hardware, David managed to run the 60MB model by ensuring proper memory alignment and adhering to the PowerPC’s unique requirements. “Memory management was crucial,” he explained. “Each allocation needed to be properly aligned for optimal DMA.” His work mirrored the challenges faced by game developers during the console’s heyday, further highlighting the Xbox 360’s sophisticated design that influenced future hardware trends and helped Microsoft to sell 84 million units worldwide during its lifetime. 

David’s accomplishment aligns with EXO Lab’s broader mission to make AI accessible beyond corporate labs. By running a lightweight AI model on such dated hardware, he showcases that advanced technology doesn’t always need expensive, power-hungry systems. 

This case is not the first time that Xbox 360 processing power has been used for something other than gaming. The US Army once considered purchasing a large number of Xbox 360 systems from Microsoft, looking at them as a considerable cost saving because computers of equal caliber cost around $1000 each at that time while an Xbox 360 price started at only $200. Microsoft turned down the army’s offer due to concerns over potential PR backlash.