Microsoft Research published an article in the prestigious scientific journal Nature on September 3, 2025, about the creation of an Analog Optical Computer (AOC). This is a fundamentally new type of computing device that uses photons (light) for calculations, rather than electrons as in traditional digital computers. The AOC is not a general-purpose computer but a specialized accelerator for solving complex optimization problems that are foundational to many AI algorithms. By leveraging the analog properties of light, the prototype demonstrated the ability to solve such tasks while consuming hundreds of times less energy compared to modern silicon chips. As application examples, Microsoft cited the analysis of banking transactions and the acceleration of MRI scan reconstruction. This work represents a significant step towards creating a new class of energy-efficient hardware for the AI era.
Microsoft Unveils Analog Optical Computer for AI in Nature
