Researchers in Australia develop light-speed AI chip

Sydney — Researchers in Australia have built an ultra-compact artificial intelligence (AI) chip capable of performing calculations using the power of light at the speed of light, which has the potential to drastically reduce the energy footprint of AI computing.

The prototype, developed at Sydney Nano Hub at the University of Sydney, utilises photons instead of electrons used in traditional computer chips that rely on electricity, according to a university statement on Tuesday, 10 March.

The study published in Nature Communications states that the prototype could help develop more energy-efficient AI hardware as global AI demand continues to grow.

This nanophotonic chip uses light, which travels without electrical resistance, and the prototype performs calculations on a picosecond timescale, or one-trillionth of a second — the time it takes light to pass through the nanostructure, according to the study.

The researchers describe the nanostructure collectively as helping to form a neural network, or artificial neurons that mimic the human brain to recognise and perform calculations.