Fact · Speech recognition
PyTorch's torch.cuda.is_available() function returns a bool that says whether CUDA is currently available to the program.
Checked against its source on October 17, 2026
In the source's own words
“Return a bool indicating if CUDA is currently available.”
torch.cuda.is_available: PyTorch documentation (version 2.14), PyTorch contributors, PyTorch, 2026, torch.cuda.is_available, description and return type.
Open the original- What it measures
- The openai-whisper command line uses this check to choose its default device: CUDA when the check is true, and the CPU otherwise.
- What it does not show
- The function returns only yes or no. It does not say which GPU was found or how much memory it has.