The drive toward GPGPU is making GPUs more and more suitable for the job of a PPU; DX10 adds integer data types, unified shader architecture, and a geometry shader stage which allows a broader range of algorithms to be implemented; NVidia CUDA provides a little more in the way of inter-thread communication and scratchpad-style workspace associated with the threads.
Nonetheless GPUs are built around a larger number of longer latency, slower threads, and designed around texture & framebuffer data paths; this distinguishes them from PPU's & the Cell as being less well optimized for taking over game world simulation tasks.
The Codeplay Sieve compiler supports the PPU, indicating that the Ageia physX chip would be suitable for GPGPU type tasks. However Ageia seem unlikely to pursue this market.
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