optical interconnects

Korean chip giants Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are moving into co-packaged optics (CPO) technology, which links AI semiconductors using optical connections to boost data transfer speeds and energy efficiency. As AI computing demand surges, Korean media describe the shift as a new race in which chips compete 'at the speed of light', alongside global players developing similar interconnect solutions.

Investors are asking whether Credo Technology can turn its 1.6T optical transceivers into its next major growth driver as AI data-center demand accelerates. The company, known for high-speed connectivity solutions, is positioning next-generation optics to capture spending tied to increasingly powerful AI infrastructure. Discussion centers on whether optical interconnects can meaningfully expand Credo's revenue alongside its core connectivity products.

Startup CScale is arguing that AI data centers at gigawatt scale can keep operating even when optical lasers fail, a claim about resilience in the interconnects linking massive AI computing fleets. The bet targets one of the practical engineering worries facing companies building enormous AI factories, where component failures multiply as campuses grow. Details on funding, partners or deployments remain unclear.

Optalysys, a UK computing company, says its photonic chip technology can actively move and process data rather than merely transferring it between components. The claim, reported by Quantum Zeitgeist, positions optical computing as a potential alternative to electronic interconnects in data-heavy workloads. It could matter for AI and high-performance computing, where moving data is often the bottleneck.