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Photonic chips provide a processing boost for AI

Computer processors that exploit both electricity and light could improve the performance of artificial-intelligence systems while consuming less energy.
By
  1. Anthony Rizzo

    1. Anthony Rizzo is at Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755, USA.

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Systems based on artificial intelligence (AI) are becoming ever more widely used for tasks from decoding genetic data to driving cars. But as the size of AI models and the extent of their use grows, both a performance ceiling and an energy wall are looming. With the performance of transistors in computer chips set to plateau, the computing power needed to support AI models will push today’s electronic hardware to its breaking point. Meanwhile, AI’s overall energy demand is soaring1, increasing carbon emissions and putting strain on local electricity grids around data centres. In September last year, technology firm Microsoft signed up for exclusive rights to the output of an entire US nuclear-power station to help to fuel its AI ambitions.

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Nature 640, 323-325 (2025)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-025-00907-5

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Competing Interests

The author declares no competing interests.

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