The AI Boom is Torchlighting a Chip Networking Race: Faster, Quirkier, Smarter!

“The AI Boom Is Fueling a Need for Speed in Chip Networking”

“As Moore’s law runs out of steam, and fabrication of Boolean-logic gates on silicon struggles to get cheaper and faster, computer engineers are turning to alternative, radically different forms of computing,” according to an article in Wired. A cynic might say it’s just another hopeful trend to replace the old, but hey, talk about innovation!

Photonics hold particular hope among engineers, in spite of all the giddy chatters about quantum computing. After Moore’s Law seems to be on its last leg, there has been a flurry of computer engineers looking for alternatives – can you blame them? Unfortunately, silicon-based Boolean-logic gates aren’t cutting it anymore – oh, the horror! What’s a tech or AI company to do when the cost of processing all your cat photos and personalized ad data become too steep?

Enter photonics – the underdog of computing. While the big kids on the block – like quantum and neuromorphic computing are hogging the spotlight, photonics has been quietly working in the background, keeping your Netflix streaming smoothly and your late-night online shopping addiction alive.

Naturally, AI-hopheads and gig economy champions are rejoicing. Their meticulous algorithms won’t be slowed down by those pesky, physical boundaries of silicon computing – we can all heave a sarcastic sigh of relief. In an ideal world, we’d all be lounging around, while light particles do the heavy lifting of powerful computations.

Photonics may not be as glamorous as its big brother, quantum computing, but it’s already keeping us connected in a world increasingly dependent on the Internet. It’s the invisible hero, the unseen glue that keeps our modern world humming along, just like your favorite barista. Only this barista doesn’t try to upsell you on fancy foam art or vegan, gluten-free pastries.

The magic lies in computing with light, not electricity. Imagine having the entire power of the sun harnessed in your computer – and no, this is not the start of a new Marvel movie. It might sound like a dream, but folks, we’re closer to this reality than you might think.

So, next time there is a debate over which tech will save the day, give a shout-out to photonics. Let’s not forget about the unsung heroes working hard behind the scenes. After all, not every hero needs to wear a silicon cape.

Read the original article here: https://www.wired.com/story/ai-boom-networking-technology-photonics/