Next-gen AI networks may hinge on the telephone switchboard's return
Photonics startups like iPronics are raking in hundreds of millions in funding to make optical circuit switches faster, denser, and cheaper..
Photonics startups like iPronics are raking in hundreds of millions in funding to make optical circuit switches faster, denser, and cheaper.
The short version
- But for any of that to happen, they're going to need a lot of optics and technology that's reminiscent of the old-fashioned telephone switchboard.
- This reality has fueled a flurry of investment in everything from photonics startups to established optical equipment and fiber manufacturing.
- In March, Nvidia invested $6 billion ($2 billion apiece) in Coherent, Lumentum , and Marvell to advance their optics tech.
What happened
Some of these investments went to support optical circuit switching (OCS) technology. On Wednesday, Nvidia joined Maverick Silicon and Light Street Capital to spend another $125 million to support the development of iPronics' second-generation OCS tech.
Why it matters
Optical circuit switches are switches only in the literal sense.
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