Hyperscaler-driven requirements inform the Energy Efficient Interfaces Framework document and Compute Optics Interface for AI Scale-up white paper
FREMONT, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#AI–The Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF) has unveiled two pivotal publications aimed at addressing the interconnect challenges critical to next-generation artificial intelligence (AI) systems. The documents, titled the Energy Efficient Interfaces Framework and the Compute Optics Interface (COI) white paper, are designed to accelerate the development of the ecosystem surrounding AI computing.
As frontier AI models and workloads continue to expand, hyperscalers and system designers are increasingly focused on constructing large and interconnected compute clusters that facilitate the transfer of vast amounts of data between processing elements. To meet these growing demands, effective interconnect solutions must be cost-effective, low-latency, high-density, and energy efficient. OIF’s newly released publications offer a comprehensive framework for evaluating architectures, link types, and tradeoffs, with a particular emphasis on optical scale-up interconnects.
“As AI infrastructure cycles compress, hyperscalers can’t wait for the ecosystem to catch up — they need clarity on interconnect options now, while architectures are still taking shape,” stated Jeff Hutchins, OIF Physical & Link Layer Working Group Energy Efficient Interfaces Vice Chair from Ranovus. “That urgency is exactly why we were able to fast-track this work through OIF. By capturing hyperscaler-driven requirements and connecting the real tradeoffs across bandwidth density, power, thermal limits, latency, radix, reliability, and cost, these publications provide the industry a shared, practical foundation for making faster, well-aligned decisions as AI compute scale-up architectures evolve.”
The COI white paper provides an in-depth analysis of AI scale-up interconnects, emphasizing the advantages of optical links within AI computing architectures, particularly over long distances where optics can offer significant energy benefits. The document evaluates various approaches, including co-packaged and chiplet-based designs, onboard optics, and pluggable architectures. It also compares different interface strategies—such as non-retimed, transmit-retimed, fully retimed, and die-to-die (D2D) solutions—while exploring a range of modulation techniques.
Moreover, the paper weighs the tradeoffs between electrical and optical interfaces, assessing how various implementation choices align with end-user goals related to performance, efficiency, latency, reliability, cost, and radix. This comprehensive analysis results in a practical decision framework that engineers can leverage to compare COI options and forecast downstream system impacts.
The COI white paper was developed on an expedited timeline to keep pace with the rapid evolution of AI infrastructure, incorporating metrics driven by hyperscalers to inform next-generation COI links while enabling extensive technical dialogue among OIF members.
Alongside the COI paper, the OIF also introduced the Energy Efficient Interfaces Framework document, which discusses opportunities for creating interoperability standards for communication links in AI compute clusters. This companion document builds on a Co-Packaging Framework released in February 2022 and addresses the industry’s swift advancements since that time. It broadens the solution space beyond co-packaged implementations, covering various critical topics related to communication links within AI compute clusters, including retiming approaches, link training, protocol choice impacts, latency, compliance testing, management interface, and form factors.
For those interested in seeing interoperability in action, OIF will be present at the upcoming OFC 2026 exhibition in Los Angeles, running from March 17–19. Attendees can visit OIF at booth #2017, and participate in a Show Floor Theater session titled “OIF – Driving Optical Interconnect Specs for AI” on March 19 from 1:30–2:30 p.m. PT, moderated by Hutchins. Panelists will include Hutchins, Mike Klempa of Qualcomm Incorporated, Cathy Liu from Broadcom, Inc., and Nathan Tracy of TE Connectivity.
OIF has been a key player in optical networking’s interoperability efforts for over 25 years, representing more than 170 industry-leading network operators, system vendors, component vendors, and test equipment vendors. The organization continues to facilitate global connectivity in an increasingly open network world. For more information, visit OIF’s website or their profiles on LinkedIn, X, and Bluesky.
PR Contact:
Leah Wilkinson
Wilkinson + Associates for OIF
[email protected]
703-907-0010
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