AI’s magic networking moment

April 4, 2024
Dive into the forefront of technological evolution with our exclusive webinar, where industry giants discuss the transformative impact of AI on the optical and networking sector.

This webinar was originally held on April 4, 2024 and is now available for on demand viewing.
Sponsor:  AFL, Enablence TechnologiesInfineraLumentum, VIAVI
Duration:
 1 Hour

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Summary

AI has become the talk of the town in the optical and networking industry. It’s hard not to notice the headlines and market predictions about AI. A recent Statista report forecasts that the size of the AI market is projected to reach $306 billion in 2024. Likewise, a PwC report revealed that AI could contribute up to $15.7 trillion1 to the global economy in 2030, more than the current output of China and India combined.

Unsurprisingly, the rise of AI is driving new demands across the data networking, optical, fiber and data center segments. As artificial intelligence has become an engine for social media services like ChatGPT and new business intelligence, it requires optical vendors and service providers to rethink their capacity outlook. Traditional service providers and data center providers are enhancing their optical network capabilities with 800G and, eventually, 1 Tbps speeds. AI also allows service providers to proactively manage their networks and services.

In this webinar, a special presentation of a panel we’re conducting at OFC 2024 highlighting our AI survey results, you will hear from industry experts about how AI shapes the networking industry. Led by Lightwave’s Editor-in-Chief Sean Buckley, the panel will feature industry experts from five companies squarely in the networking space: AFL, Enablence Technologies, Infinera, Lumentum and Viavi.


Speakers

Lucas Mays
Product Line Manager, Splicers and Test Equipment
AFL

Lucas Mays is a Product Manager for field fusion splicers and accessories at AFL. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Physics from the University of Louisville focused in optical sciences. From there, he immediately entered the fiber optics industry first as a fusion splicer and category cable installer, then as an engineer working in product R&D. Prior to product management, he was an applications engineer at AFL, helping solve the day-to-day fusion splicing challenges experienced in the field. He has multiple industry-published white papers and articles on the various installation challenges and advancements in the physical layer. His favorite aspect of his work at AFL is enabling customer success with quality products and support.

Todd Haugen
CEO
Enablence Technologies

Todd Haugen is CEO of Enablence Technologies, a leading provider of photonics semiconductors based on Planar Lightwave Circuit (PLC) technology for datacom and telecom applications as well as LiDAR technology-based products for automotive and robotics. Prior to joining Enablence, Haugen held senior management positions at Microsoft Corporation. He was GM at Skype Wi-Fi where he helped grow this business unit to more than 2.5 million hotspots and 1 million customers. He also served as Group Engineering Head of Privacy, Group Manager at Ohana, SharePoint and Vista. At Vista, Haugen helped reinvent the software licensing model from a rudimentary anti-piracy system to digital licensing model, enabling Windows Anytime Upgrade, which in turn helped generate more than $1 billion in revenue for Microsoft. 

Before joining Microsoft, he advised several technology start-ups in the greater Seattle area, including one project, where he launched one of the first ecommerce platforms enabling companies like Disney, Nike, Ziff-Davis, and NFL to launch their ecommerce businesses. Prior to this, he held leadership positions at Accenture, Q-Strategies, where he served as CEO, and Aventail where he served as vice president of engineering. Haugen earned a Bachelor of Arts in economics from the University of Colorado and a Master of Science in computer science from the University of Washington.

Walid Wakim
Chief Technology Officer – Systems and Network Solutions
Infinera

Walid Wakim is Chief Technology Officer at Infinera in the Systems group. Walid’s 25+ years of industry experience has spanned hardware to software to system engineering to defining both optical and multi-layer network architectures. In his current role, Walid heads the office of the CTO, focusing on future system and network architectures. He actively collaborates with network operators and vendors all around the world to create next-generation networking solutions and is actively involved with standards and open source forums. Walid also is a regular speaker at industry conferences, holds a number of patents, and has authored a number of papers in the International Engineering Consortium, IEEE, and OFC as well as for other major journals and industry conferences.

Dr. Janet Chen
Senior Director of Product Line Management
Lumentum

Dr. Janet Chen, Senior Director of Product Line Management at Lumentum, is a seasoned leader with invaluable industry experience. With a rich professional history that includes pivotal roles at Meta, NeoPhotonics, FOIT, HP Labs, and NTT Photonics Labs, she has honed her expertise across various domains within the optical industry. She holds a Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from UC Santa Barbara and a B.S. from National Taiwan University. She is a Senior Member of IEEE, credited with over 50 peer-reviewed publications and 10 US patents. At Lumentum, she spearheads product line management with a keen focus on innovation and strategic growth. Her deep understanding of technology and business dynamics positions her as a thought leader in leveraging AI to shape the trajectory of the industry and pave the way for future advancements.

Matt Adams
Senior Product Manager
VIAVI Solutions

Matthew Adams is a Sr. Product Manager at VIAVI Solutions and has been with company for over 25 years.  He has held leadership positions spanning R&D, technology planning, and product management.  He is currently focused on developing measurement solutions supporting the design and manufacture of next generation fiber optic communication components, modules, and sub-systems.  He is an active contributor to international standards, coauthored several articles and has several patents in the area. Matthew has a master’s degree in engineering physics from McMaster University in Ontario Canada.

Sean Buckley
Editor-in-Chief
LIGHTWAVE 

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