Tokyo Professor Claims: Light-Based Quantum Computers Could Solve the Global Energy Crisis

A Glimpse Into a Photonic Future

At the 2025 Global Digital Summit (GDS2025), hosted by Nikkei, Professor Akira Furusawa from the University of Tokyo presented a bold vision: a world saved by light. Furusawa, a renowned leader in quantum computing research, believes his team’s photonic quantum computer—one that uses light instead of electricity—could drastically reduce global energy consumption, even reshaping the future of AI infrastructure.

His argument is compelling: if artificial intelligence systems can be transitioned from electricity-powered computation to optical computation, we could bypass the exponential rise in energy demand created by traditional digital technologies. Furusawa stressed that by converting from electric to photonic processes, “we can solve the energy problem and save the planet.”

📌 the Original

At the GDS2025 summit, Professor Akira Furusawa of the University of Tokyo unveiled new developments in light-based quantum computing. He claimed these machines, which operate using photons rather than electricity, offer a revolutionary path toward energy-efficient computing—particularly in AI.

Quantum computers exploit quantum mechanics principles, like superposition and entanglement. Furusawa’s research focuses specifically on quantum teleportation, a method of instant information transmission over distances. By leveraging this phenomenon massively, photonic quantum computers can achieve high-performance processing without the massive energy toll.

Furusawa distinguishes his machine as an analog computer rather than a digital one. Analog computing, he notes, mimics the human brain, which has no digital parts yet functions with astonishing efficiency. This biomimicry could lead to radical energy savings, making it viable for sustainable AI deployment.

Traditional digital computers work through binary arithmetic (0s and 1s), consuming immense power as AI operations scale. Furusawa’s photonic computer sidesteps this by processing information in a more organic, light-driven manner.

A prototype was completed in November 2024 at RIKEN, and a startup named OptQC, spun off from the University of Tokyo, plans to deploy it commercially by April 2026. The machine is expected to handle AI computation tasks in data centers.

NTT (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone) is collaborating on key components such as light sources and system integration. The compatibility of photonic quantum computers with optical networks makes it a perfect fit for NTT’s IOWN (Innovative Optical and Wireless Network) vision—an all-photonic infrastructure. Together, they aim to integrate photonic quantum computing into future communication systems.

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🔎 What Undercode Say:

Professor Furusawa’s bold proclamation at GDS2025 is more than scientific optimism—it represents a paradigm shift in the way we think about computing, energy, and sustainability. Here’s why his work could be transformative:

The Energy Bottleneck of AI: As AI models balloon in complexity and size, so does their hunger for power. Today’s data centers consume roughly 1–2% of global electricity. With generative AI and LLMs entering mainstream usage, that figure could double by the end of the decade unless a disruptive solution is adopted.
Analog vs Digital: A Rebirth? Analog computing has long been sidelined in favor of digital’s precision and scalability. But Furusawa’s research brings analog back into the spotlight—not as a relic, but as the brain-like, energy-frugal future of computation.
Quantum + Photonics = Exponential Gains: By merging the probabilistic power of quantum mechanics with the low-entropy transmission of photons, this hybrid model potentially leapfrogs both traditional digital and quantum-electric systems.
Commercialization Timeline: With the first machine already built and commercial rollout expected by 2026, this isn’t a distant dream. It’s arriving fast, and OptQC could become Japan’s answer to OpenAI—if its technology delivers.
Geopolitical Implications: Japan’s focus on energy-efficient quantum AI can also serve as soft power leverage in the global tech race. While the US and China duke it out in silicon-heavy quantum labs, Japan may quietly pioneer a cooler, greener path.
IOWN + Quantum Synergy: NTT’s IOWN vision involves building a fully photonic communications backbone. A quantum computer designed for optical environments slots in perfectly—maximizing not just processing speed but end-to-end data throughput with minimal energy loss.
The AI Ecosystem Shake-Up: If Furusawa’s light-based quantum AI works at scale, it could force hyperscalers like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft to rethink their data center architectures entirely. This could lead to a new generation of cloud infrastructure—optimized not for transistor counts, but for photonic coherence.
Brain-Inspired Tech, Realized: For decades, “neuromorphic” computing was theory-heavy and product-light. Photonic analog computing, by mimicking how the brain distinguishes signals with little power, could finally turn those theories into hardware.

In essence, Furusawa is not just offering a new computing method—he’s rewriting the physics of AI. By turning away from electricity and embracing light, he’s pointing toward a future where computation doesn’t cost the Earth.

🔍 Fact Checker Results

✅ Claim Verified: OptQC is indeed developing photonic quantum systems in collaboration with RIKEN and plans for 2026 commercialization are publicly documented.
✅ Claim Verified: NTT is actively pursuing IOWN and has been investing in optical infrastructure with clear compatibility for quantum applications.
❌ Claim Not Fully Substantiated: The assertion that this shift can “solve the energy problem and save the Earth” remains speculative until large-scale implementation is demonstrated.

📊 Prediction

By 2028, photonic quantum computers will likely move beyond pilot stages into industrial testbeds within Japanese data centers. However, adoption globally will remain limited unless two critical hurdles are addressed: cost of photonic hardware and developer tooling. If Japan can lower the barrier of entry—possibly via government R\&D subsidies or open-source initiatives—a new energy-efficient AI standard may emerge, especially in countries facing energy scarcity or heat constraints in data centers.