Why the AI Race Shifted to Speed​​​​

This post argues that the AI race has shifted from model intelligence to inference speed. It highlights examples of faster models from Google (Gemini 3 Flash), Anthropic (Claude Opus 4.6 Fast), and OpenAI (GPT-5.3-Codex-Spark). The post explains that inference speed is crucial because it directly impacts the rate of model iteration for AI labs and software development for the broader economy. It cites OpenAI and Anthropic's use of their own coding models for self-development and notes that Anthropic prices faster models at a significant premium. The post further illustrates the business impact of fast inference through a hypothetical AI-powered CRM development scenario and references Stripe's annual letter on rapid ARR growth, attributing it to agentic coding. It concludes that high-speed inference is becoming critical infrastructure, akin to fast computers and internet connections in previous eras, and that Cerebras's focus on speed positions it well for this trend.