Some of the world’s largest tech firms, including Microsoft, Google, Intel, and others, are rallying behind a new initiative aimed at revolutionizing telecom networks. This effort, led by the IOWN Global Forum, seeks to establish technical standards for all-photonics networks. These networks utilize light instead of electrical signals to transmit data, promising significantly lower energy consumption compared to traditional methods.

Adopting photonics in network infrastructure is expected to address the substantial energy demands currently imposed by data-intensive applications like AI, e-commerce, online streaming, and productivity tools. These technologies have surged in usage, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting a critical reassessment of network efficiency and environmental impact.

Masahisa Kawashima, technology director at NTT Corporation and chair of the technology working group at IOWN Global Forum, highlighted the potential of photonics to enhance the capabilities of data centers. By decentralizing data centers and utilizing IOWN All-Photonics Networks (APNs), the initiative aims to distribute computing power more effectively across broader geographical areas. This approach could mitigate the environmental impact of large, concentrated hyperscale data centers, which currently pose challenges to carbon reduction efforts.

Kawashima emphasized that even medium-sized data centers could function as powerful hyperscale centers within an IOWN APN framework. This setup allows developers of AI models and other compute-intensive tasks to access shared GPU infrastructure efficiently, promoting innovation while reducing localized energy demands.

Overall, the adoption of photonic networks represents a pivotal step towards sustainable and efficient data transmission, crucial for advancing technologies like AI and preparing for the future demands of 6G mobile internet.