OFC 2026: Broadcom Paves the Path for the 200T AI Era
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At OFC 2026, Broadcom took the optical industry’s biggest stage to demonstrate the future of scaling AI infrastructure. The company unveiled groundbreaking technologies designed to address the growing demands of AI workloads, focusing on scalable, power-efficient solutions for gigawatt-scale AI clusters. From industry-first optical innovations to dynamic discussions on overcoming bandwidth, power and reliability challenges. Broadcom’s demonstrations and presentations highlighted its leading edge end-to-end connectivity solutions paving the path for the 200T AI era.
One of the standout innovations was the debut of Taurus™, the industry’s first 400G/lane optical DSP. Paired with Broadcom’s first-to-market 400G electro-absorption modulated laser (EML) and photodiodes (PD), Taurus enables optical module manufacturers to deliver cost-effective, low-power 1.6T transceivers. This technology lays the foundation for future 3.2T optical transceivers, which will support next-generation 204.8T switching platforms.
Collaborative Ecosystem Driving Innovation
Broadcom’s technical collaboration with ecosystem partners was evident at more than 30 partner booths across the show floor. The company showcased a wide range of novel technologies that underscore its commitment to developing advanced solutions for AI infrastructure. Key highlights included:
- 3.5D XDSiP: Modular 2.5D/3D-IC XPU platform for unmatched AI performance and efficiency.
- AI Ethernet: 102.4T Tomahawk 6, 250ns Tomahawk Ultra, and Jericho 4 for 1M+ XPU fabrics.
- 800G NIC: Thor Ultra—first UEC-compliant 800G NIC for scalable AI networks.
- AI Optics: 200G/lane VCSEL, EML, CWL, and CPO interconnects.
- VCSEL NPO: 3.2T Near-Packaged Optics with high efficiency and density.
- 200G Retimers & AECs: Long-reach Ethernet and 6m active cables.
- PCIe Gen6: High-port switches and retimers with advanced telemetry.
Broadcom also collaborated with industry partners to launch the Optical Compute Interconnect Multi-Source Agreement(OCI MSA), which aims to define an open optical “scale-up” standard for multi-vendor AI infrastructure beyond the limits of copper interconnects. Broadcom is also a founding member of the 400G Optical MSA that will define interop for the next generation 400G/ln optics.
Dynamic Discussions on Scaling AI Infrastructure
Broadcom executives and engineers actively participated in technical workshops, technology showcases, and forums, sharing valuable insights on solving the challenges of scaling AI infrastructure. Here are some key takeaways from their sessions:
Reducing Complexity, Improving Design for the Next Optical Frontier
At the Optica Executive Forum, Near Margalit, VP and General Manager, Optical Systems Division, discussed using Ethernet for both scale-up and scale-out networking. He explained that this approach creates a unified networking protocol across systems and reduces complexity by minimizing the number of layers in the scale-up network.
Later in the week at OFC, Margalit discussed the industry’s push toward silicon photonics and tighter integration of optics with ASIC systems, noting the shift from compound semiconductors to more unified, scalable designs. Margalit said the greatest challenge lies in packaging, as optical components resist planar semiconductor processes. He also stressed the importance of achieving clean, agreeable fiber attachment solutions that work across multiple foundries and technologies as a key manufacturing enabler, and expressed confidence that within five years, the industry will see full integration with clean, reliable, volume manufacturing that is significantly more integrated than current CPO implementations.
Integrating Photonics and Silicon for Efficient AI Scaling
Manish Mehta, VP of Marketing and Operations, Optical Systems Division, highlighted the growing demand for optics in AI infrastructure. He discussed the limitations of pluggable optics in scaling optical networking, especially as systems approach 100 terabit bandwidth from accelerators. Mehta emphasized Broadcom’s advancements in Co-Packaged Optics (CPO), which integrate photonics and electronics. Using wafer-scale bonding, these optical engines deliver silicon-level reliability and 65% power savings compared to re-timed pluggable optics.
Scaling AI Data Centers with Optical Solutions
Rajiv Pancholy, Director, Hyperscale Strategy & Products Optical Systems Division, discussed the company’s optical solutions for scaling AI data centers beyond current single-node compute limitations. He emphasized the importance of moving optics directly into the scale-up architecture to overcome physical constraints like rack size, power delivery, and cable complexity. Broadcom’s comprehensive solutions, including the 100T Tomahawk 6 switch and co-packaged optics technology, focus on reducing power consumption per bit while prioritizing performance and reliability.
Phased Path to 448G Connectivity
OIF Board Member Cathy Liu detailed the phased path to 448G, showing how the CEI-448G Framework scales interconnects from optical engines to backplanes. The plan phases in PAM6, XSR, and PAM4 to manage signal integrity at higher speeds, leveraging advances in DFE, FEC, and MLSD to meet AI-era bandwidth demands.
The Future of Co-Packaged Optics
I-Hsing Tan, Director of Product Marketing, Optical Systems Division, highlighted co-packaged optics (CPO) as the long-term solution for high-performance data transmission. While pluggable optics currently meet immediate needs, ongoing research and advances in packaging, signal integrity, and wafer processes are accelerating CPO’s maturity. Tan expressed confidence that within five years, the industry will achieve full integration with clean, reliable, volume manufacturing.
Looking Ahead: Optical Connectivity for AI
As the industry moves toward the next optical frontier, Broadcom is leading the way with its focus on integration, packaging, and collaboration with ecosystem partners. With initiatives like the OCI MSA and groundbreaking technologies like Taurus™ and Tomahawk 6, Broadcom is designing the future of AI infrastructure.
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