I listened to the following show on CBC Radio1 the other day and I must say that it provided a really good overview of why optics are have become increasingly important. I have not heard the whole show but the parts that I did hear were well presented and understandable. Click on the SPARK link to listen. You will be glad you did.
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/spark/computer-chips-that-mimic-the-brain-may-be-the-next-big-thing-in-computing-1.6035689