The conversation in photonics has begun to move beyond components — it’s now about how people, processes, and technologies come together to transform industries.
The biennial Laser World of Photonics in Munich always feels like a moment of industry reflection. It’s a good stock-take to assess where we’ve been, and where we’re headed.
Over nearly 30 years, I’ve built a mental slideshow of progress – snapshots every two years that reveal how far we’ve come in terms of product innovations, market evolution, and the skills our people need to succeed.
What stood out in 2025 was a decisive shift in the industry’s centre of gravity.
At the photonics component and product level, innovation continues, especially in quantum and silicon photonics, but much of it feels evolutionary, not revolutionary.
The real transformation was across the hall at Automatica, now commanding half the exhibition space.
There, photonics is no longer just a component – it’s at the heart of integrated systems combining motion control, robotics, and AI, reshaping industrial operations and infrastructure at scale.
The transition is similar to the fibre optic telecommunications industry over the past twenty-five years. There, the focus shifted from the specialist development of fundamental optical components to their integration into mature products. These systems deliver advanced network capabilities that build upon the original components and are now widely deployed.
This feels like photonics is coming of age, not as a standalone tech, but as an enabler of smart, automated systems that transform real-world processes.
This shift has been made possible by advances in real-time computing and high-speed networks, which provide the control and processing capacity needed for these complex systems, increasingly enhanced by artificial intelligence.
For photonics industry professionals, this means that the value is shifting away from simply specifying and selling products, and towards understanding a customer’s operational or process constraints and designing a solution that transforms cost and time outcomes.
In my experience, these solutions often incorporate photonics throughout. A typical system might combine machine vision, precision motion control, photonic sensors, and AI-based control, with additional lasers performing the actual process.
But technology alone won’t get us there.
As the complexity of systems rises, so does the premium on human capability.
Beyond technical know-how, we need creativity, communication, and the grit to make things work in the field.
In this new landscape, people, talent, and capability will drive success.
On the final day of LWOP 2025, I joined a careers panel speaking to early-career photonics professionals.
The final and best question was: “What do you look for when hiring?” My answer was immediate: high emotional intelligence, a self-starting attitude, and a strong drive to deliver for customers and colleagues.
I firmly believe these three attributes are crucial to success in business. They will remain important regardless of changes in the workplace, including the disruptive impact of AI. The same is true for current communication trends, such as the rise of social media and video meetings, compared to the enduring value of face-to-face interaction.
One attendee was surprised that technical skill wasn’t in my top three. But the panel agreed that technical competence is a baseline. What sets people apart are those human attributes.
As photonics evolves from components to systems, and from products to solutions, we will need professionals who combine a strong technical foundation with the leadership and interpersonal skills required to navigate this future successfully.
Technology is the enabler, but it is the people who will make it real.
Dr David Gillett, CEO, AVR Photonics Group (Laser 2000 UK & AVR Optics USA)
