Stupid question - how is it even possible given that you lose information on each layer? And how do one implement a non-linear activation function without an amplifier of a sort?
Normally in this kind of systems, the detection is the nonlinearity.
That is, you send light through the system, the light can interfere, Changes path through the system but in the end you can detect only the intensities, |E|^2.
This is a neat idea, but it's extremely light (no pun intended) on real details. Translating a simulation into real hardware that can do real computation in a reliable manner is properly hard. As much as I'd love to be an optimist about this project, I have to say I'll believe it when I see it actually running on a workbench.
If it does work, I think one of the biggest challenges will be adding enough complexity to it for it to do real, useful computation. Running the equivalent of GPT-2 is a cool tech demo, but if there's not an obvious path to scaling it up, it's a bit of a dead end.
If it does work, I think one of the biggest challenges will be adding enough complexity to it for it to do real, useful computation. Running the equivalent of GPT-2 is a cool tech demo, but if there's not an obvious path to scaling it up, it's a bit of a dead end.