• China Going For Photonic Processors

    From c186282@c186282@nnada.net to comp.os.linux.misc on Fri Jan 30 19:13:01 2026
    From Newsgroup: comp.os.linux.misc

    https://greekreporter.com/2026/01/31/china-optical-computer-chips-power-next-wave-ai/

    As the race for more powerful artificial intelligence (AI)
    tools accelerates, China is placing major bets on optical
    computer chips to overcome the speed and energy limits of
    traditional electronic hardware ...

    Chen and his team reported a breakthrough last month
    with the development of LightGen, the first all-optical
    chip designed to handle advanced generative AI models.
    Built using layers of engineered metasurfaces that manipulate
    light at the nanoscale, the chip contains millions of photonic
    neurons.

    Zengguang Cheng, a materials scientist at Fudan University
    in Shanghai, said the country has strong motivation to explore
    new approaches in computing. He noted that China’s 14th Five-
    Year Plan includes goals related to photonics and quantum
    technologies, backed by steady government funding.

    . . .

    Maybe rather than trying to compete with western silicon
    it would be a better use of resources to perfect photonic
    processing and quantum tech instead.

    --- Synchronet 3.21b-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Borax Man@rotflol2@hotmail.com to comp.os.linux.misc on Sun Feb 1 00:25:08 2026
    From Newsgroup: comp.os.linux.misc

    On 2026-01-31, c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> wrote:
    https://greekreporter.com/2026/01/31/china-optical-computer-chips-power-next-wave-ai/

    As the race for more powerful artificial intelligence (AI)
    tools accelerates, China is placing major bets on optical
    computer chips to overcome the speed and energy limits of
    traditional electronic hardware ...

    Chen and his team reported a breakthrough last month
    with the development of LightGen, the first all-optical
    chip designed to handle advanced generative AI models.
    Built using layers of engineered metasurfaces that manipulate
    light at the nanoscale, the chip contains millions of photonic
    neurons.

    Zengguang Cheng, a materials scientist at Fudan University
    in Shanghai, said the country has strong motivation to explore
    new approaches in computing. He noted that China’s 14th Five-
    Year Plan includes goals related to photonics and quantum
    technologies, backed by steady government funding.

    . . .

    Maybe rather than trying to compete with western silicon
    it would be a better use of resources to perfect photonic
    processing and quantum tech instead.


    China often lies about its technological capabilities. I don't see
    evidence that this is anything other than more fluff. The article is
    very light on evidence of any breakthrough.
    --- Synchronet 3.21b-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Lawrence =?iso-8859-13?q?D=FFOliveiro?=@ldo@nz.invalid to comp.os.linux.misc on Sun Feb 1 02:29:58 2026
    From Newsgroup: comp.os.linux.misc

    On Sun, 1 Feb 2026 00:25:08 -0000 (UTC), Borax Man wrote:

    China often lies about its technological capabilities.

    Seems people in the US alternate between claiming China is lying about
    its progress, and being terrified that it will gain a bona fide technological lead over them, and they mustn’t allow that to happen. There is no
    place in-between where they can envision a world where both China and
    the US are technological leaders, coexisting peacefully and both
    contributing to the world economy.
    --- Synchronet 3.21b-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From c186282@c186282@nnada.net to comp.os.linux.misc on Sat Jan 31 23:59:47 2026
    From Newsgroup: comp.os.linux.misc

    On 1/31/26 19:25, Borax Man wrote:
    On 2026-01-31, c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> wrote:
    https://greekreporter.com/2026/01/31/china-optical-computer-chips-power-next-wave-ai/

    As the race for more powerful artificial intelligence (AI)
    tools accelerates, China is placing major bets on optical
    computer chips to overcome the speed and energy limits of
    traditional electronic hardware ...

    Chen and his team reported a breakthrough last month
    with the development of LightGen, the first all-optical
    chip designed to handle advanced generative AI models.
    Built using layers of engineered metasurfaces that manipulate
    light at the nanoscale, the chip contains millions of photonic
    neurons.

    Zengguang Cheng, a materials scientist at Fudan University
    in Shanghai, said the country has strong motivation to explore
    new approaches in computing. He noted that China’s 14th Five-
    Year Plan includes goals related to photonics and quantum
    technologies, backed by steady government funding.

    . . .

    Maybe rather than trying to compete with western silicon
    it would be a better use of resources to perfect photonic
    processing and quantum tech instead.


    China often lies about its technological capabilities. I don't see
    evidence that this is anything other than more fluff. The article is
    very light on evidence of any breakthrough.

    It wasn't intended as an "in depth" article.

    However I'm no longer inclined to crap on
    Chinese tech capabilities.

    --- Synchronet 3.21b-Linux NewsLink 1.2