New memory chip controlled by light and magnets could one day make AI computing less power-hungry

A panel with many lit up circles and streaks of rainbow light.

Researchers have developed a new type of memory cell that can both store information and do high-speed, high-efficiency calculations.

The memory cell enables users to run high-speed computations inside the memory array, researchers reported Oct. 23 in the journal Nature Photonics. The faster processing speeds and low energy consumption could help scale up data centers for artificial intelligence (AI) systems.