Jörg-Peter Elbers joins TOP 2026 panel to explore AI-driven photonics
Session will bring together industry and research perspectives on the role of artificial intelligence in optical systems
- Speakers: Jörg-Peter Elbers, SVP of advanced technology, standards and IPR at Adtran; Alejandra Beghelli, senior research specialist in optical and quantum networks at BT (chair); Nigel Davis, systems design architect at Ciena; Annalisa Morea, senior consulting engineer at Nokia; Lareb Zar Khan, optical network engineer at Meta; Michael Doherty, PhD student at University College London
- Topics: AI for photonics
- When: Wednesday, February 25, 11 a.m. GMT
- Where: Telecommunications, Optics & Photonics Conference 2026, The Kia Oval, London, UK https://topconference.com
Artificial intelligence is moving from theory to deployment across optical networks, data centers and photonic systems. As large-scale AI clusters drive unprecedented demand for bandwidth, latency and energy efficiency, optical interconnects are emerging as a critical bottleneck. Traditional design and optimization approaches are struggling to keep pace, creating pressure for new ways to plan, operate and scale photonic infrastructure.
In this session, Jörg‑Peter Elbers and a panel of experts will explore how AI is being applied across photonics, from network planning and operations to performance optimization and fault prediction. The discussion will examine practical use cases, data requirements, reliability challenges and the transition from experimentation to deployment. Attendees will gain insight into how AI can support scalable, efficient and resilient optical networks.