The Great Optics-Copper Crossroads

The podcast explores the evolving landscape of optics and copper in data center infrastructure, particularly regarding scaling. It highlights Nvidia's $4 billion investment in optics companies like Lumentum and Coherent, driven by capacity needs, geopolitical considerations, and the pursuit of competitive pricing. The discussion then pivots to Credo's perspective, emphasizing the reliability of copper-based Active Electrical Cables (AECs) and their potential to coexist with optics, including micro-LED-based Active LED Cables (ALCs). Finally, the conversation covers Broadcom CEO Hock Tan's surprising advocacy for copper, even at 400 gig per lane, and presents a "4D chess" theory about Broadcom's strategic positioning in the face of optical circuit switch (OCS) adoption.