The AI Revolution Just Got Faster: Meet the Chip That Runs on Light

Dr Mark van Rijmenam, CSP -

What if the future of AI isn’t silicon-based, but light-speed ahead? China’s latest breakthrough suggests it might be.

A team of scientists from Tsinghua University in Beijing has unveiled the Taichi-II chip, the world’s first AI training system that operates entirely on light. This groundbreaking development marks a significant leap in efficiency and performance, far outstripping traditional electronic-based systems.

The fully optical chip not only accelerates AI training by magnitudes but also reduces energy consumption drastically. The Taichi-II's ability to handle complex tasks with greater accuracy and speed positions it as a game-changer in the world of AI, especially as China faces restrictions on access to top-tier GPUs.

As this technology advances from theory to large-scale applications, it raises a critical question: Will light-based AI chips redefine the global tech landscape, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in computational power?

Read the full article on SCMP.

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