3M today announced a new MSA for a coalition working to advance and scale optical connections in AI data centers. Along with 3M, 17 other companies have joined, including Oracle, Meta, AMD, and a variety of hyperscalers, chip makers, NECs, manufacturers, and optical specialists.
By using light instead of electricity, optical solutions speed communications over longer distances, while also protecting signal quality. This will be crucial in data centers where high-performance computing demands exceed the limitations of copper cabling.
To read more about the EBO coalition, and how to join, read the story here.
Susana Schwartz
Technology Editor
RCRTech
AI Infrastructure Top Stories
Verizon focuses on capacity and coverage: Verizon SVP and Chief Network Officer Srini Kalapala did a wide-ranging interview with RCRWireless’ Jeff Mucci about AI and edge computing as the foundation for what comes after 5G.
Timing, reliability, scalability in Microgrids: Did you know the per/MW cost of U.S. microgrids ranges between $2M and $5M? Optimizing designs means consideration of varying loads, generation sources, and existing energy grid.
Dallas, TX AI Roundtables: No vendor pitches or panels, but straightforward, intimate conversation with C-level decision-makers about how to power and deliver AI at scale, despite grid, supply chain, labor, geopolitical and other challenges.
AI Today: What You Need to Know
VoltaGrid’s Blackstone and Halliburton deal: VoltaGrid signed agreements for a $1 billion strategic equity investment from funds managed by Blackstone Tactical Opportunities and Halliburton Company, incl. a $775 million primary capital raise.
Nscale to build Norway’s largest data center : Following recent announcements of $2bn Series C funding and a $1.4bn delayed draw term loan, Nscale has secured $790 million in financing from ABN AMRO, DNB, Eksfin, Nordea and SEB.
IREN stocks rise with Nvidia deal: A 5 GW AI infrastructure pipeline will be the result of the deal, with deployment of NVIDIA accelerated compute in DSX AI factories, which will expand access to AI-native, startup and enterprise customers.
Michigan Utility Moratorium: Michigan’s Ypsilanti Community Utilities Authority has imposed a 1-year moratorium in the community in which a $1.2-billion University of Michigan Los Alamos Lab DC is planned. The university is threatening to sue.
Adaptive Reuse in Milwaukee: A former Walmart in Milwaukee is being considered by the City of Milwaukee, AFS, and Gorman & Co. for conversion into a 19,000 sq ft (1,765 sqm) HPC data center that will use a closed-loop glycol cooling system.
3D-Printed Cooling for data centers: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign researchers have developed a 3D-printed copper cold plate technology that could cut data center cooling costs from 30% to just 1.1% of total energy consumption.
Austria Groundbreaking: Google broke ground on a new data center in Kronstorf, Austria, with a potential capacity of 150 MW. The facility will be equipped to support off-site heat recovery and feature a green roof with solar panels.
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