EP 146: The State of AI Networking with Austin Lyons
Austin Lyons, writing as Chip Strat, joins Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg to discuss the evolution of AI networking, defining the critical distinctions between scale-up, scale-out, and scale-across topologies. The conversation details the technical trade-offs between copper and optical interconnects, explaining how SerDes technology enables higher speeds over shorter distances and why optical is necessary for longer ranges. They highlight the strategic importance of SerDes capabilities for companies like Broadcom and Marvell, and touch on emerging trends like Celestial's photonic fabric and the acquisition of Alpha Wave by Qualcomm.