WEBINAR

Scaling the AI Data Center: Optical Technologies Redefining Data Center Interconnection

April 14, 2026

5:00 PM UTC

1 hour

Sponsored by

April 14th, 2026

1:00 PM ET / 12:00 PM CT / 10:00 AM PT / 6:00 PM GMT 

Duration: 1 hour

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A certificate of attendance will be offered.

Summary

The rapid acceleration of AI workloads is fundamentally reshaping data center architectures and driving unprecedented demand for high-bandwidth, power-efficient, and low-latency connectivity. To support this demand, data center connectivity is evolving rapidly across the key connectivity applications: scale-up, scale-out, scale-across, and data center interconnection (DCI):

Scale Up is within a single rack inside a data center
Scale Out between racks within a single data center
Scale Across is between different data center buildings
DCI is the connections between data centers

Each of these applications represents significant growth opportunities, with industry analysts projecting the data center switch market alone to approach $6 billion by 2030 as operators re-architect networks to meet AI-driven performance requirements.

This panel will examine evolving optical technologies enabling this unprecedented growth, from advanced coherent optical engines to innovations in direct detect technologies such as linear pluggable optics (LPO) and co-packed optics (CPO). In addition to high-speed optical solutions, we will explore the broader migration from copper to fiber-based technologies and the implications for performance, power, and scalability. Attendees will gain practical insight into the trends, challenges, and technology choices shaping the next generation of data center connectivity.

Another key development that the DCI space will benefit from is the emergence of hollow core fiber (HCF), an optical waveguide that transmits light through an air- or vacuum-filled core rather than solid glass, enabling roughly 50% faster signal propagation and 33% lower latency. This technology reduces signal distortion and increases power handling for applications in data centers, high-frequency trading and AI.

Panelists

Mario Simard

Product Line Manager, Advanced Fiber Instruments

VIAVI Solutions

For nearly 30 years, Mario Simard has developed in-depth technical and commercial expertise in high-tech sectors such as healthcare/medical devices, telecommunications, and the pharmaceutical industry. More specifically, the past 25 years spent as a product manager or leading teams of product managers have allowed him to gain valuable insight into the product development process based on customer needs analysis. He has been working in fiber optic test and measurement for 17 years in roles related to product development. Mario holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Laval University in Quebec City, Canada.

Julia Larikova

VP Product Line Management

Nokia

With a distinguished career span of over three decades, Julia is a seasoned telecom expert with deep technical and leadership experience. Her journey began in the industry in 1995, even before graduating, setting the stage for a career deﬁned by continuous innovation.

Julia is an accomplished academic, earning a Master's in Biomedical Engineering from Moscow State University in 1996 and a Master's in Electrical Engineering from New York State University in 2003. Her intellectual curiosity led to further postgraduate studies in the highly specialized ﬁeld of Quantum Physics at Northwestern University, underscoring their commitment to advanced research.

Throughout her career, Julia has held key positions across Field Deployment, New Product Introduction (NPI), Research & Development (R&D), and Product Line Management (PLM) at prominent companies, including Tellabs, Coriant, and Inﬁnera. In her current role at Nokia, she leverages this breadth of experience to drive progress. Her contributions to the ﬁeld are formalized in dozens of patents and publications, cementing her status as a respected thought leader.

Jason Eichenholz

CEO & Founder

Relativity Networks

Jason Eichenholz is a serial entrepreneur, executive, philanthropist, and recognized pioneer in laser and optics enabled innovation, product development and commercialization. Over the past two decades he has founded multiple companies that raised over a billion dollars of investor funding, took Luminar public on Nasdaq, and is the current CEO and founder of Relativity Networks. When he’s not reshaping industries, Jason dedicates himself to serving others — both as a volunteer firefighter and EMT, and through his greatest passion: the Jonathan's Landing Foundation, a non-profit creating a comprehensive community for adults across the autism spectrum.