Quantum computing company’s first breakthrough is in AI data centers

PsiQuantum, a quantum computing company, has made its first breakthrough in AI data centers. Rather than developing a quantum computer, the firm has been focusing on creating optical chips that can manipulate light particles with extreme precision. As data centers are transitioning from copper wiring to fiber optics due to the latter's superior efficiency, PsiQuantum's technology could prove to be a valuable asset in this evolving landscape.

The AI boom, which wouldn't have been possible without the ability to network hundreds of thousands of AI processors together, has encountered a bottleneck in the form of slow copper connections between GPUs. This bottleneck becomes even more pronounced during the training process of large AI models that require extensive coordination between numerous GPUs. To address this issue, the next generation of data center racks is increasingly employing optical cables for data transmission between GPUs.

However, the process of converting optical information into electrical signals for routing and then back into light introduces heat, energy consumption, and bulk. PsiQuantum's new device aims to bypass this bottleneck by allowing photons to route directly between server racks in AI data centers. This technology could facilitate almost heatless and energy-efficient connections, much like Google's current use of MEMS (Microelectromechanical Systems) mirrors for light signal direction.

Robert Soderbery, executive vice president of PsiQuantum, explained that separate data center racks would function as a unified unit, with data flowing between GPUs in separate racks at the same speed and latency as those within a single rack. This capability would significantly enhance compute density, size, and energy efficiency, overcoming the current limitations.

PsiQuantum is not the only player in this photonics race. Photonic computing company Lightmatter recently joined forces to standardize optics in the data center sector, while Nvidia has invested heavily in optics computing companies like Lumentum and Coherent. Despite Google's current monopoly on purely optical circuit switching in AI data centers, PsiQuantum's innovation could bring the light to the forefront in the ongoing battle to convert data center networking to photonics.