OAII Conference Recap | Chengwei Li of Luxshare-Tech: Synergy Between Optical and Copper Technologies Lays the Foundation for Next-Generation AI Data Centers

Among the major infrastructure sectors in data centers, high-speed interconnects have become the core support and critical foundation for unlocking computing power and enhancing cluster efficiency. In terms of technology roadmaps, with the principle of “We use copper wherever possible; only when we have to, we use optics” formally proposed at GTC 2026, Luxshare-Tech’s long-standing commitment to “optical-copper synergy and multi-track parallelism” is becoming the mainstream consensus in global AI data center interconnect design.

As the scale of intelligent computing clusters continues to expand, AI infrastructure innovation is entering uncharted territory to continuously unlock the potential of computing power. Recently, the 2026 Open AI Infra Summit was successfully held in Beijing, bringing together industry experts from various data center sectors to engage in in-depth discussions on high-speed interconnects, power supply, liquid cooling, and the super-node ecosystem.

At the High-Speed Interconnect Forum of this summit, Chengwei Li, Senior System Architect at Luxshare-Tech, delivered a presentation titled “224G Interconnect Solutions & Exploration of 448G Interconnect Solutions.” He systematically interpreted Luxshare-Tech’s technological strategy, product portfolio, and systematic capabilities in the high-speed interconnect sector, providing a practical and actionable technical roadmap for the large-scale structure deployment for AI infra.

Industry Trends: Copper for Short Distances, Fiber for Long Distances, Multi-Track Synergy

In his presentation, Chengwei Li first pointed out that AI data center interconnects currently exhibit a clear trend toward stratification:

·      Scale Up: Distances within 10 meters, prioritizing density and power efficiency, primarily using copper interconnects, evolving toward CPO/NPO.

·      Scale Out: Distances ranging from 10 meters to 10 kilometers, prioritizing flexibility and interoperability, primarily using pluggable optical modules.

·      Scale Across: Pursuing higher capacity, with long-distance transmission reaching 10 kilometers to over 1,000 kilometers.

Multiple industry standards are developing in parallel, with specifications such as XPO, OCI, Open CPX, SDM4 MCF, and ACC-MSA advancing in concert. Pluggable optical modules continue to evolve, and CPO/NPO co-packaged optical acceleration is gaining traction. Copper interconnects firmly dominate short-distance core scenarios thanks to their low power consumption, high density, and high reliability. 

The evolution of leading-edge server architectures further validates the irreplaceable value of copper interconnects. High-end AI clusters generally adopt a design philosophy of all-copper scale-up within the rack and on-demand optical interconnects across racks, achieving optimal power consumption and cost while ensuring computing density. Luxshare-Tech has accurately identified these architectural trends and, with its CPC 224G and 448G high-speed interconnect solutions at the core, has built end-to-end copper interconnect capabilities from chip to system.

Key Breakthroughs: CPC End-to-End Solution Enables Commercial Deployment of 448G

Next, Chengwei Li highlighted the CPC end-to-end interconnect solution (LuxLink). The KOOLIO™ CPC connector, equipped with the OPTAFLEX™ interlayer, significantly shortens signal paths to achieve ultra-low-loss connections, perfectly supporting 224Gbps and 448Gbps PAM4 transmission. The 360° fully shielded structure delivers top-tier crosstalk suppression, while OPTAMAX™ compatibility with 31–32 AWG cables and the Zero-Stub structure effectively boost bandwidth and reduce reflections. The rigid contact crimping design completely eliminates the risk of bent pins, achieving a balance between high density and high reliability.

At the end-to-end implementation level, Luxshare-Tech’s CPC solutions cover all scenarios, including CPC to Backplane, CPC to IO, and CPC to XPO:

·      CPC to Backplane supports 224G and is upgradeable to 100GHz; its floating structure is suitable for large-scale deployments.

·      CPC to OSFP 448G solution features an insertion loss of only 1.94dB at 86GHz, fully validating the commercial viability of 448G.

Optical-Copper Synergy: CPC/NPC + XPO, creating a one-stop, systematic solution

Luxshare-Tech’s newly launched XPO solution integrates capabilities from multiple teams—including copper interconnects, optical interconnects, thermal management, and power supply—to create a high-density optical interconnect solution that is easier to maintain and implement, providing customers with one-stop, systematic support. As a key component of LuxLink, XPO is deeply integrated with CPC/NPC, enabling optimal configuration across the entire link—from the chip to cross-cluster connections. With a focus on long-term evolution, LuxLink is simultaneously investing in two development paths: CPC/NPC + XPO and CPO/NPO + MPO. The goal is to: provide stable and mature copper interconnect solutions in scenarios where copper is available; in scenarios where “optical connectivity is required,” providing seamless, fully compatible optical interconnect capabilities, thereby achieving true full-scenario coverage and comprehensive technical adaptability.

In the long-term evolution roadmap for CPO, XPO and NPO complement each other well, jointly addressing optical interconnect needs across different stages and scenarios. Combined with the CPC end-to-end copper interconnect solution, Luxshare-Tech can truly achieve: providing stable and mature copper interconnect solutions in scenarios where “copper is available”; and offering seamless, fully compatible optical interconnect capabilities in scenarios where “optical is required,” thereby achieving comprehensive coverage of all scenarios and full technical compatibility.

Strategic Upgrade: From Component Supplier to Full-Rack Infrastructure Solution Provider

After years of deep technical development, Luxshare-Tech has transitioned from a single-component supplier to a comprehensive provider of AI full-rack infrastructure solutions, guided by the “Three Verticals and Two Horizontals” framework.

Three Verticals: High-Speed Interconnect, Power Management, Thermal Management

Two Horizontals: Ultra-Node Board-Level, Full-Rack System-Level

Currently, Luxshare-Tech’s integrated foundation, covering copper and optical interconnects, power supply, and thermal management, is providing full-stack support for AI data centers. In addition to CPC end-to-end copper interconnect solutions and XPO/NPO high-density optical interconnect solutions, multiple power supply products have already passed certification by key North American customers and entered mass production, while thermal management products have achieved full-chain coverage from board-level liquid cooling to cabinet-level CDU.

The 2026 Open AI Infra Summit has concluded, but innovation in AI infrastructure continues to advance. Luxshare-Tech will remain committed to scenario-driven development, proactive technology research, and a customer-first approach, continuing to deepen its expertise in 224G/448G copper interconnects, CPO/NPO optical interconnects, XPO standardization, and full-rack infrastructure.

Looking ahead, Luxshare-Tech is committed to collaborating closely with industry partners in an open and collaborative manner, listening to customer pain points, and leveraging leading technology, tailored solutions, and reliable quality to lay a solid foundation for next-generation AI data centers. Through the synergy of optical and copper technologies, we aim to empower the global computing infrastructure upgrade.