New Laser-Array Processor Could Vastly Improve AI Computing Efficiency

A new processor that uses light, instead of electrons, has the potential to perform its computations up to 100 times more powerfully and efficiently than existing processors inside machine-learning computer systems. That’s according to a new USC and MIT study published in the journal Nature Photonics. Zaijun Chen of USC, Ryan Hamerly of NTT Research, and Dirk Englund are the corresponding authors. Other co-authors who also contributed significantly are Alexander Sludds, Ronald Davis, Ian Christen, Liane Bernstein, and Lamia Ateshian of RLE. The key component of this computing system, VCSEL arrays, is fabricated and provided by Tobias Heuser, Niels Heermeier, James A. Lott, and Stephan Reitzensttein of Technische Universitat Berlin. New Laser-Array Processor Could Vastly Improve AI Computing Efficiency (photonicsonline.com)