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Deep & Emerging Tech·July 22, 2026·1 min read

New programmable photonic chip can control how fast light moves

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Programmable optical chips that can slow light on demand are a step toward practical buffering and synchronization for photonic computing — the plumbing you need before light-based accelerators go mainstream. Hardware and infra teams should log this as a 3–7 year horizon tech that could change latency and energy assumptions for high-throughput AI workloads.

Deep & Emerging Tech

Doc: nearly 200 US utilities, data center developers, and others have signed Trump's pledge to ensure AI energy use doesn't push up consumer electric bills

AI power demand is now politically constrained, not just physically constrained — 200 utilities and data center developers signing a pledge means rate optics will shape siting and pricing. If you’re planning large AI footprints in the US, model scenarios where regulators prioritize retail bills over wholesale flexibility.