By Byron V. Acohido
To exploit the full potential of massively connected, fully interoperable digital systems, we need to solve privacy and cyber security, without a doubt.
Related: Using ‘Big Data’ to improve health and well-being
But there is another looming technology mountain to climb: we must also overcome the limitations of Moore’s Law.
After 30 years, we have arrived The end of Moore’s Law, which states that the number of transistors in a silicon-based semiconductor chip doubles roughly every 18 months. In short, the mighty integrated circuit is successful.
Last spring I participated NTT Research’s 2023 upgrade Conference in San Francisco and hear presentations from scientists and innovators working on what’s next.
I learned how a who’s who list of large technology companies, academic institutions and government agencies are rushing, in fact, To revive Moore’s Law and this time direct it to optical technology.
I had a wide conversation with the president and CEO of NTT Research Rubber kazoo about an ambitious initiative called Innovative Optical and Wireless Network (Iowan) whose goal is to develop next-generation networks and calculations. IOWN is about supporting increased bandwidth, capacity and energy efficiency.
What really struck me was that IOWN also seeks to foster a “rich and diverse” global society. For a full debriefing on our discussion, please watch accompanying video broadcast. Here’s my takeaway.
What’s Next: The Internet of Everything
The world of the near future holds the promise of climate-restoring cities, autonomous transportation systems, incredible breakthroughs in healthcare, and many more amazing services that could greatly benefit everyone on Earth.
However, the laws of physics dictate that silicon semiconductor chips simply won’t be able to support the massive data capture—and massive data crunching—that the Internet of Everything requires.
Fortunately, optical circuits are well suited to the task at hand. The Internet of Everything requires the distribution of billions more data-capturing sensors far and wide to create vast, interoperable, overlapping digital shrouds. Every sensor in every shroud must be uniquely smart and consume almost zero energy.
Working together, these sensor arrays will accurately and securely transmit vast amounts of useful data at high speed to and from our transport networks, services, communication systems, buildings and homes.
“Optical technology can allow us to control energy consumption so that we can support increasing capacity and increasing bandwidth,” Gumi concludes.
At NTT Research in Sunnyvale, California, scientists are working on Basic research To develop optical technology that can overcome the current challenges. Their work focuses on creating smaller laser oscillators that produce the light needed for optical circuits. Smaller oscillators create shorter pulses that can increase bandwidth exponentially.
The business case for optics
One of the main advantages of optical circuits, Gumi emphasized, is their low energy consumption compared to traditional circuits. This is especially important for artificial intelligence engines, which currently require large GPU clusters that use integrated circuit chips and consume huge amounts of energy.
Optical circuits have the potential to replace these GPUs, offering faster computation and drastically reduced energy consumption, he says.
Energy-efficient AI technology will allow calculations to be transferred to sensors at the edge of the network, where intelligent analysis can be performed with much faster response times, while consuming much less energy.
NTT executives and scientists often talk about how advanced optical technology can benefit society as a whole. It is worth noting that IOWN
The mission statement actually calls for fostering a rich global society, one that tolerates diversity and respects individual privacy.
I asked Gumi about the business case for this. He argues that unless drastic changes are made to switch to optical technology, carbon footprint issues will become a significant concern. By adopting optical technology, industries can grow, and society can benefit from developing a smarter infrastructure.
Deploying AI ethically
Gumi also acknowledged the need to find a balance between humans and artificial intelligence and to consider the ethics of artificial intelligence. The conversation around AI’s potential impact on society, culture and the economy is just beginning, he says, but it’s crucial to ensure AI is applied responsibly to avoid unintended consequences.
“Artificial intelligence right now can be undisciplined and has the potential to misbehave,” Gumi told me. “Bad behavior is something that needs to be corrected and we need to do something to discipline AI, as needed, when needed.”
You just don’t hear that kind of perspective from Amazon, Microsoft or Google, and certainly not from Facebook or Twitter.
In preparation for attending Upgrade 2023, I came across a transcript of a talk introducing IOWN given in 2019 by June SawadaFormer CEO of NTT, the parent company of NTT Research.
Sawada begins by pointing to Japan’s history as a supplier of silver pearls, sapphires and cinnabar. He compares Europe and Japan during the Industrial Revolution (1750-1850) noting the contrasting perspectives of centralization versus decentralization.
Sawada
He suggests that the city of Edo in Japan, with its population of one million, represented a A recycling-oriented ecological metropolis, while European cities focused on centralization and energy-driven growth. Continuing his assessment of modern society, Sawada claims that the divisions between nations that we see today stem from conflicts between socialism and capitalism.
Today, he observes, the deluge of information, along with artificial intelligence-driven filtering, has led to division based on biased preferences. He advocates the combination between the economic expansion of modern European societies and Edo’s recycling mindset – and the development of a global society that recognizes diverse values.
Sawada’s larger point is that IOWN has the potential to reset our communication systems with the intention of advancing the greater global good. IOWN continues to quietly gain traction. How far can it take us?
I will keep following and keep reporting.
Akido
Pulitzer Prize-winning business journalist Byron V. Acohido is dedicated to fostering public awareness about how to make the Internet as private and secure as it should be.
(LW provides consulting services to the vendors we cover.)
