I'm not sure it will, though, except in specific cases. For now, it looks like the progress has mostly been: mechanical -> electrical -> optical (/RF) Fo

I'm not sure it will, though, except in specific cases. For now, it looks like the progress has mostly been: mechanical -> electrical -> optical (/RF) For good reason too: reliability, integration, and energy efficiency. We're a bit stuck on electrical for now as integration is slightly better, electrons being smaller than photons, and it seems to be more suited for power transmission and conversion, at least for now. Basic principles haven't changed much though, and it's always interesting to understand those. There is just the "field" concept that can be tough to understand.