OFC 2026 Preview: How Silicon Photonics and CPO Will Reshape the Next Generation AI Interconnect System

```

Optical interconnects are becoming the most critical bottleneck and opportunity in AI infrastructure.

As the OFC 2026 exhibition is about to open in Los Angeles this month, the global optical communications industry will showcase the latest advancements in next-generation connectivity technology. Driven by strong bandwidth demands in AI data centers, 800G optical modules are moving from pilot to mainstream, 1.6T products have entered the volume ramp-up stage, and optical interconnect technology is undergoing a structural transformation.

According to SemiVision Research analysis, the rapid expansion of generative AI model scale is shifting the core bottleneck in data centers from transistor performance to interconnect bandwidth and latency. NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang’s “Huang’s Law” states that computing power can continue to improve via process advances and 3D packaging, but the I/O speed between chips is lagging, forming an “I/O wall.” This structural contradiction is driving optical devices to migrate toward compute and switching chip sides to break through limitations in power consumption, loss, and transmission distance.

This year's OFC technical conference will be held from March 15 to 19, with the exhibition scheduled for March 17 to 19 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Core topics include: 1.6T and 3.2T optical module technology paths, Co-Packaged Optics (CPO) and new optical I/O architectures, silicon photonics heterogeneous integration, as well as the rivalry between pluggable and CPO solutions.

Copper cables reach physical limits, optical interconnects migrate toward chips

The exponential growth in AI cluster sizes is propelling optical interconnect technology to the core of infrastructure architecture. Market research firm SemiVision Research points out that traditional data centers typically use copper cables for short-distance connections within racks, while pluggable optical modules handle inter-rack expanded links. However, as SerDes rates rise to 200 Gb/s per channel, the physical characteristics of copper cables have become a critical bottleneck.

According to Business Wire reports, at these speeds, traditional passive copper cables can no longer stably span a single server rack and even face transmission distance limitations within racks. This physical restriction is driving optical devices to consistently migrate toward compute and switch chip sides, seeking a new balance between power consumption, loss, and transmission distance.

800G becomes mainstream, 1.6T mass production imminent

From a product evolution perspective, the optical module market is showing a clear upgrade rhythm: 800G products will enter a strong growth phase in 2025, accelerating their penetration into the mainstream market; 1.6T products will enter mass production ramp-up stage starting in the second half of this year.

On the product level, Accelink has publicly demonstrated and sampled its 1.6T OSFP224 DR8 transceiver for AI data center scenarios. SemiVision Research points out that as AI clusters quickly scale to tens of thousands of GPUs, optical interconnects have become one of the most critical bottlenecks in the AI infrastructure stack and the most investment-worthy track.

CPO vs. pluggable solution becomes focal point

The rivalry between Co-Packaged Optics (CPO) and pluggable solutions will be one of the core topics at OFC 2026. CPO co-packages optical engines with switch chips on the same substrate, significantly reducing power consumption and signal loss, and is seen as the long-term evolution direction for ultra-large data centers; pluggable solutions, due to their flexibility and maintainability, still occupy the dominant position at this stage.

SemiVision Research reveals that NVIDIA, Broadcom, and Marvell will give presentations on manufacturability at this year's OFC, a topic directly affecting the timeline for CPO’s transition from technology verification to scaled commercialization. Meanwhile, the evolution from pluggable to Linear Pluggable Optics (LPO), then to CPO, as well as supply chain restructuring triggered by this evolution, will also be key exhibition focal points.

Silicon photonics and laser technology become key supply chain variables

On the underlying technology level, silicon photonics heterogeneous integration—including the integration of silicon photonics, thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN), and III-V materials—is highlighted as one of the main focus directions at OFC 2026. SemiVision Research notes that the supply bottleneck in laser technology has become one of the key factors restricting the scale expansion of optical interconnects.

Meanwhile, the rivalry between VCSEL and MicroLED technology paths in the ultra-short-distance optical interconnect field, as well as optical interconnect solutions for replacing copper cables inside AI systems, will also receive wide attention. Notably, Optical I/O (OIO)—a natively packaged optical link technology—is expected to support decoupled deployment of AI systems and is becoming a promising emerging direction worth tracking closely.

Outlook: Optical interconnects enter a strategic competition window

The timing of OFC 2026 coincides with a critical moment as demand for optical interconnects in AI data centers accelerates. Product iteration from 800G to 1.6T, architectural evolution from pluggable to CPO, and short-distance replacement from copper to optics are all advancing in sync, together forming the technical bedrock of this round of optical interconnect revolution.

SemiVision Research believes that as the size of AI clusters continues to expand to the tens of thousands of GPUs, optical interconnects have surpassed their traditional supporting role and are becoming the core variable determining the performance ceiling of AI infrastructure. The technical consensus and industry direction formed at this OFC will have a profound impact on the optical communications landscape in the years ahead.

Risk Warning and DisclaimerThe market has risks, investment needs caution. This article does not constitute personal investment advice, nor does it take into account the special investment objectives, financial situation, or needs of individual users. Users should consider whether any opinions, views, or conclusions in this article are suitable for their specific circumstances. Investing based on this, responsibility is at your own risk. ```