AI 'Shrinks Timeline' for Photonics Evolution
New Delhi: A US-based technologist has stated that artificial intelligence (AI) has "shrunk the timeline" of evolution of photonics technology for the next couple of years, but more innovation is needed beyond that.
Sunil Khatana, Chief Technology Officer and co-founder of India-based firm CloudPhotonix, made this statement at a tech seminar hosted at the India Habitat Centre. CloudPhotonix develops cutting-edge photonics technology, products, and processes, with its headquarters and research and development laboratory in Noida.
Khatana mentioned that AI is changing the paradigm of technology infrastructure in the context of photonics. He explained that AI models require large amounts of data to be trained, which are processed using Graphics Processing Units (GPUs). These GPUs need to work together to provide fast connections.
Transceivers play a crucial role in this, converting electrical signals into optical signals and vice versa. Khatana stated that AI needs fast transceivers with low power consumption, which is different from conventional data centres.
"AI actually needs fast transceivers, low-power consumption transceivers, so compared to normal data centres...where AI is a back end.. much faster transceivers than conventional ones are required," Khatana said.
CloudPhotonix aims to become the number one photonics provider in India and starts by manufacturing high-speed transceivers. The company's CEO, Tarun Sibal, explained that photonics technology has a broader definition beyond transmission, including sensing, quantum computing, and display systems.
Currently, photonics is mainly associated with telecom and switching systems due to its pluggable nature, allowing for digital data transport. However, Sibal emphasized that this understanding needs to change.
"We are trying to do two things... We are taking reference design and building the repeatability and testing, quality frameworks, to take it to market," Sibal said. "And, then there is a design angle to it, the IP angle..."
The company has started working on its 100G project, which aims to cover a distance of 10 km. The subsidiary overseas houses R&D talent working with people in Bengaluru and Noida.
Experts believe that 10G will continue to drive demand in India for the next few years, but 25G and 40G applications are also on the rise. Eventually, 100G is expected to become more prevalent over the next 18-24 years.