How can I upgrade my EC2 instance to increase vCPUs with a GPU?

AWS takes into account the age and billing history of your account when determining quota increases. If your account is new, this could be your issue. When making the vCPU increase request, write a clear and concise explanation in the support ticket about why you need the increase, mentioning any relevant services you're using that require GPU instances.

When you say your request was rejected, what exactly did AWS say? Not all EC2 instances can be upgraded directly, and sometimes you might need to replace your instance instead. Instances with dedicated GPUs are in high demand and pricey right now, so consider trying a different region or reevaluating what you need exactly.

First, check your Quotas page for your region to ensure that you have enough vCPU quotas for the instance type you're requesting. You need to verify that the 'Running On-Demand G and VT instances' is greater than 0. If you're tight on quotas for G instances, you may need to file a support case with AWS to get it sorted out.

If you're applying for a vCPU increase, be upfront in your ticket about your use case. The clearer you are, the better chance you have of getting past the human review stage. If you're involved in specific projects (like running an HPC cluster), mention that! It'll help your case.