China Opens New Lab to Bypass US Chip Curbs with Light-Based AI Computing

China launched a top-level laboratory in Shanghai on Wednesday to advance photonic computing, a technology that uses light instead of electricity to process data. The move aims to overcome power limits and US restrictions on chip exports that have hindered China’s artificial intelligence (AI) development. The Shanghai Key Laboratory of Integrated Photonic Computing Chips and Systems is the country’s first platform combining industry and academic research in this field, according to a report by Shanghai’s Jiefang Daily on Thursday. Photonic computing uses light particles, or photons, to perform calculations, potentially offering faster speeds and lower energy consumption than traditional electronic chips. The lab’s director, Zou Weiwen, said the facility will focus on developing chips that can power AI systems more efficiently.