New computer chips do math with light

Two tech companies have unveiled photonic processors using laser light to process information faster and more efficiently than conventional computers, especially for AI tasks. Lightelligence's PACE device accelerates optimization problems, while Lightmatter's processor runs mainstream AI technologies. This breakthrough offers a potential solution to the limitations of Moore's law as traditional chip development slows. The technology could be implemented in data centers within five years, marking a significant advancement in computing.