aiqbench analysis
This initiative represents a strategic pivot toward photonic computing to overcome energy bottlenecks and semiconductor supply constraints in AI infrastructure. By focusing on ultrafast data processing and optical interconnects, the institute aims to fundamentally alter the computational paradigm required for scaling large models without proportional increases in power consumption.
ITMO launches institute to build Russia’s photonics future
In 2026, ITMO is launching the Institute of Photonics, a project platform uniting research teams, with the main objective of developing domestic solutions for ultrafast data processing and transfer based on photonic technologies. This responds to growing data volumes, computational demands, and requirements for energy efficiency, as current systems consume enormous amounts of energy and infrastructure is reaching its limits.
In 2026, ITMO University is launching the Institute of Photonics to address a critical challenge: developing domestic solutions for ultrafast data processing amid limited access to high-performance chips. The institute will focus on photonic technologies, aiming to dramatically reduce the energy demands of data centers, which currently require megawatts of power and have seen nearly a third of data center construction projects halted in Russia this year. Out of 128 projects, 38 are frozen. “Building more and more power stations is not a solution,” says Sergey Makarov, the institute’s director; “This means we need to look for another way: to make computations fundamentally more energy-efficient with photonic technologies.” This new initiative directly supports the growing demands of artificial intelligence, which requires processing and rapidly exchanging ever larger amounts of…
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