Machine Learning Using an On-chip Photonic Neural Network--Changing the Future through Photonic Technology

Artificial intelligence (AI) is now entering its fourth wave, and this time, it is penetrating everyone's daily life and bringing many surprises.However, training an advanced AI model requires a huge amount of resources such as time in units of several months and power equivalent to all of the power consumed by a mediumsized city.To solve this problem, studies are being conducted on AI-model computing using optical circuits that are fundamentally different in principle from past technology.In this article, we talked with NTT Distinguished Researcher Mitsumasa Nakajima about the potential of future photonic technologies and his research on "machine learning using an onchip photonic neural network" that can greatly reduce the power consumed by machine learning through the use of photonics.