What is a photonic computing chip and why could it revolutionize AI?

The answer

In 2025, researchers at the University of Florida announced a photonic computing chip that performs key AI computations using light instead of electricity. Photons travel faster than electrons, don't generate heat, and can carry multiple data channels simultaneously through different wavelengths - like sending many colors of light through one fiber optic cable at once. This means photonic chips could perform AI inference tasks at dramatically lower energy consumption than traditional silicon chips, addressing one of AI's biggest challenges: power consumption. Data centers running AI models consumed an estimated 4.6% of US electricity in 2025. Photonic computing is part of a broader wave of alternative AI hardware including neuromorphic and optical processors.