Photonics: A Foundational Scaling Layer for AI-Era Computing

As AI and large language models advance, computing systems face unprecedented challenges. Traditional transistor-based performance improvements are no longer sufficient to meet growing data processing... Read original →

Photonics is transitioning from a niche enabler to the foundational layer of AI computing architecture. This shift triggers a cascade: upstream silicon photonics foundries (e.g., GlobalFoundries, SMIC) face surging demand, while downstream CXL memory pools and AI accelerators must be redesigned for optical I/O compatibility. Geopolitical tensions may prompt tighter U.S. export controls on advanced packaging and photonic integration, compelling firms in Taiwan, China and mainland China to accelerate domestic co-packaged optoelectronics ecosystems—raising near-term R&D costs but enhancing supply chain resilience. NVIDIA, Intel, and Marvell are already locked in a photonics patent race; NVIDIA leverages its Coherent acquisition for vertical integration, while Intel pushes CPO standardization. Within 18 months, optical interconnects will migrate from data-center backbones to board-level links, birthing a 'hybrid electro-optical' Moore’s Law where performance is defined by bandwidth density and energy efficiency—not transistor scaling.