STMicroelectronics to Launch Data Centre Photonics Chip Developed with Amazon

AMSTERDAM – STMicroelectronics announced on Thursday the launch of a new computer chip designed for the rapidly expanding market of AI data centre equipment. This innovative chip, developed in collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS), aims to meet the growing demand for specialized computing chips, particularly in memory, power, and communications applications.

The chip, a photonics component that utilizes light instead of electricity, is intended to enhance speed and reduce power consumption in transceivers, which are crucial for advanced AI data centres. Vincent Fraisse, General Manager of STMicroelectronics’ radio and communications chip division, revealed that AWS has been deeply involved in the development process and will deploy the technology in their infrastructure once it reaches production stage later this year.

STMicroelectronics is also collaborating with a leading provider of optical solutions, a market leader in pluggable optical transceivers, to integrate the chip into their next-generation transceivers. The market for these devices is projected to grow significantly, with research firm LightCounting estimating the market value at $7 billion in 2024, expected to quadruple to $24 billion by 2030.

The new chips will be mass-produced at STMicroelectronics’ factory in Crolles, France.