Explore the potential of graphics processing units for massive hardware acceleration in this GOTO Aarhus 2012 conference talk. Delve into the historical evolution of programmable GPUs, examine real-world production code examples, and gain insights into the future of hardware-accelerated computing. Learn about the hidden computing power within graphics cards, their transition from real-time graphics to versatile acceleration tools, and the implications for various algorithms. Discover the challenges and opportunities of GPU exploitation, including pitfalls, graphics API limitations, and modern programming languages. Gain a comprehensive understanding of topics such as cascaded light propagation volumes, subsurface scattering, spatial data structures, and ray tracing. Evaluate whether GPU utilization is currently viable and when it may become essential in the future of heterogeneous processing units.