Guangbenwei unveils 256x256 optical computing chip, world's largest fully programmable one
At the 2026 WAIC ecosystem expo, Guangbenwei Technology unveiled a 256×256 optical computing chip, described as currently the world's largest fully programmable optical computing chip by matrix size. The chip integrates more than 65,000 optical computing units on a single die, combining storage and computation in the same optical path so AI model weights can be stored on-chip without frequent transfers between external memory and compute units. Static power consumption of model weights is reduced to zero.
Guangbenwei previously taped out the world's first commercial-grade 128×128 optical computing chip in June 2024. Based on the new chip, the company plans to launch its second-generation optoelectronic computing card in 2026, raising single-card computing power from the hundred-TOPS level to the thousand-TOPS level, with overall performance comparable to mainstream AI inference GPUs. It estimates that large-scale deployment in computing centers could cut annual electricity consumption to about 1% of existing solutions.
On the commercial side, Guangbenwei said its optical computing products have served dozens of customers, including major technology companies, vertical AI firms and AI computing centers. It has delivered more than 10 optical computing systems and secured orders and letters of intent worth hundreds of millions of RMB. The company also formed a strategic partnership with Baidu Intelligent Cloud to launch Lightmate, a full-stack AI development solution covering digital, analog and optical chip design and low-level driver development. Together with China Mobile, it co-published white papers on optical computing and optical interconnection for next-generation large-scale AI computing centers.
