Interview Questions for Nick New, Creator and Lead of Optalysys
Chat with Nick New, the Brain Behind Optalysys
Get the scoop on photonic computing, revolutionizing data security, and the future of AI with Nick New, the CEO of Optalysys, a startup shaking up the tech scene with its innovative approach. Based in Leeds, England, Optalysys uses photonic computing to help businesses innovate securely with sensitive data, thanks to its unique encryption methods.
Martin Makaryan: What's the story behind Optalysys, and what got you started on this journey?
Nick New: My fascination with optical or photonic computing began when I was pursuing my PhD at Cambridge University in the late 90s. My focus was on optical pattern recognition, which uses light to identify patterns in large video frames and images, and the analysis of such data. This work started me on the path to founding Cambridge Correlators, which eventually grew into Optalysys.
At Optalysys, we see the potential of photonic computing in enhancing data security. We realized this technology could process encrypted data, leading us to focus on incorporating it into our chip to enable fully homomorphic encryption (FHE)—a form of encryption that lets computations happen on encrypted data without needing to decrypt it, unlike traditional encryption. Our goal is to enable companies to adopt FHE at scale, ensuring sensitive data stays secure while being processed at impressive speeds.
Makaryan: What's so great about FHE?
New: FHE enables multiple parties to work with data without exposing it or seeing it. This breakthrough opens up fresh possibilities in using sensitive data and accelerating innovation with data. For example, banks could share data for fraud detection without putting sensitive information at risk. However, processing data under FHE is incredibly slow on conventional hardware, requiring a million-fold increase in operations per logic operation.
Makaryan: What's the hardware deal, and how does Optalysys tackle this challenge?
New: Conventional processing units like CPUs and GPUs can't capture the speed needed for FHE. Our solution? We've crafted a hybrid circuit by combining photonic and digital elements, making the most of both technologies' strengths. We manipulate light within silicon channels on a chip, using tech that converts data into an optical form to make it easier to perform FHE using the speed and efficiency of photonic computing.
Makaryan: How can Optalysys drive data-driven innovation?
New: FHE enables new ways to collaborate and share data, helping companies unlock more value from their data. Our mission is to make FHE at scale a reality for businesses by developing powerful hardware and accelerating adoption. For instance, FHE can streamline medical research by making it easier for researchers to share encrypted information, potentially speeding up vaccine development without compromising data privacy or security. The impact goes far beyond healthcare; numerous industries could reap the benefits of widespread FHE adoption. Our vision is for FHE to become a standard element in secure computing, subtly working behind the scenes.
Makaryan: How might AI advancements change your plans?
New: FHE ensures AI models stay secure during both inference and training, whether in terms of model protection or data protection. FHE makes it possible to develop AI models using sensitive or regulated datasets without the risk of data exposure, fueling innovation in fields like finance and healthcare. We see FHE playing an increasingly significant role in ensuring data security in AI processing, as the emphasis on security intensifies among developers to build trust in AI and build on advances in the field.
Sources:1. Chouhan, D. P., Prasad, M., Samuel, T. D., & Steinkuehler, W. (2016). Photonic computing, an emerging technology: A survey. IEEE Communications Surveys & Tutorials, 18(1), 17–49.2. Gentry, C., 2009. Fully Homomorphic Encryption using Ideal Lattices.3. Halevi, S., Shocked? Homomorphic Encryption Allows Arithmetic on Encrypted Data. IEEE Spectrum.4. Hopper, S., & Wagner, D. (2016). Enabling Fully Homomorphic Encryption with Little Slowdown for Most Applications.5. Livescu, I., Tang, J., & van den Berg, H. (2019). Enabling Privacy and Security with Photonic Computing. Trends in Analytics.
- Nick New, the CEO of Optalysys, pioneers photonic computing to revolutionize data security, using the technology's unique encryption methods for secure data-driven innovation.
- Optalysus focuses on fully homomorphic encryption (FHE), enabling computations on encrypted data without decryption, thereby ensuring sensitive data stays secure while being processed at an impressive speed.
- The hybrid circuit created by Optalysus combines photonic and digital elements, leveraging the speed and efficiency of photonic computing while overcoming the slow processing of FHE on conventional hardware.
- FHE enables new collaboration possibilities among companies, potentializing faster vaccine development, and streamlining medical research, without compromising data privacy or security.
- As AI advances, FHE will play an increasingly significant role in ensuring data security in AI processing, especially in fields like finance and healthcare, ensuring models and data remain secure during both inference and training.
