The document discusses parallel computing, defined as the simultaneous use of multiple computing resources to solve problems, and distinguishes it from parallel processing, which focuses on executing multiple processes at once. It highlights the differences between CPUs and GPUs for parallel tasks, and explains the need for parallel programming to enhance computational performance across various applications, including scientific computing and big data processing. The document emphasizes the role of different APIs in enabling efficient parallel computations and outlines various strategies for task and data parallelism.