NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang: “Silicon Photonics” Packaging Years Away, Advocates for Continued Use of Copper

As the tech world pivots towards silicon photonics for advancements in artificial intelligence computing, NVIDIA’s CEO demonstrates a cautious stance, favoring traditional copper technology for the foreseeable future.

NVIDIA Chooses Copper Over Silicon Photonics: A Strategic Decision

For those who may not be familiar, silicon photonics is an innovative approach that enhances traditional copper cables by integrating laser technology with semiconductor materials. This hybrid solution is designed to significantly increase data transmission speeds. NVIDIA has embraced this cutting-edge technology to enhance interconnect latency and establish high-bandwidth links between central processing units (CPUs) and graphics processing units (GPUs).Nonetheless, despite the buzz surrounding silicon photonics, Jensen Huang appears to be leaning towards conventional copper solutions, expressing skepticism about the viability of silicon photonics packaging.

Jensen Huang on copackaged optics and silicon photonics…Not as excited as many others are pic.twitter.com/TDOgHjFqUp

— SemiAnalysis (@SemiAnalysis_) August 13, 2025

Huang acknowledges that NVIDIA is collaborating with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) to further develop silicon photonics; however, he indicates that this innovation is likely several years away from broader implementation. Meanwhile, NVIDIA is also investing in related technologies, such as the Quantum-X Photonics, which is set to be a robust networking switch platform rumored for release this year. Furthermore, the company is in the process of developing Spectrum-X Photonics, a series of Ethernet switches expected to launch by 2026.

While NVIDIA appears to be strategically building a portfolio around silicon photonics, it remains cautious about making a definitive switch, especially given the significant demand for computing power in the industry. If NVIDIA successfully integrates silicon photonics within its GPU tiles, it could enhance scalability and performance significantly. However, achieving this would necessitate a comprehensive overhaul of their design architecture, which is one reason Jensen Huang advocates for a continued reliance on copper interconnects in the coming years.

The anticipation surrounding how NVIDIA and other industry players will implement silicon photonics is palpable, as this technology holds the potential to revolutionize computing capabilities. Although widespread deployment of complete solutions may not occur until the end of the decade, NVIDIA is adamant about leveraging copper technology on its current journey.

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