BEIJING, April 24 -- Researchers at Beijing's Tsinghua University have developed a high-performance chip for complex artificial intelligence processing, powered by light rather than electricity. Called Taichi, this photonic AI chip is also particularly energy-efficient.

With its unique architecture, this chip has a computing capacity of several million neurons. It has been specially designed to handle complex tasks. Here, the photon replaces the electron, and light replaces electricity. Its optical components are capable of processing extremely complex operations faster, such as those required by machine learning. Data transfer by light is faster and up to 1,000 times more energy efficient than a traditional electronic chip.

The Taichi ...