A Tensor Processing Unit (TPU) is a specialized hardware accelerator designed by Google to efficiently perform machine learning tasks. TPUs are optimized for handling large-scale mathematical operations, particularly those involving tensors, which are multi-dimensional arrays of data. This makes them particularly useful for training and running deep learning models. TPUs can significantly speed up the processing of complex algorithms compared to traditional CPUs and GPUs. They are commonly used in cloud computing environments, allowing developers to leverage their power for applications like image recognition, natural language processing, and other artificial intelligence tasks.