Taiwan Suppliers Poised to Power Microsoft's MAIA 200 Optical Communications

Microsoft announced the next generation of artificial intelligence chip, the Maia 200, a potential alternative to Nvidia processors, designed to overcome data center bottlenecks, specifically high latency and communication limits.

Microsoft’s Executive Vice President of the Cloud and AI group, Scott Guthrie, calls the Maia 200 “the most efficient inference system Microsoft has ever deployed.”

Analysts say Microsoft is accelerating into co-packaged optics (CPO), with MicroLED-based optical interconnects at the center designed to overcome bandwidth limits. By replacing electrical links with optical interconnects, MicroLED technology promises to mitigate electromagnetic interference and signal loss, which are two constraints that intensify as computing workloads increase.

Taiwanese suppliers are well-positioned in the field. PlayNitride Inc., for example, with its miniaturization capabilities and expertise in mass-transfer in the display sector, has emerged as a key solution for optical communications. The technology allows high-density arrays of bandwidth to expand at a much lower threshold. The company’s components are currently undergoing validation, with specifications being fine-tuned to meet demands. Industry observers note that Taiwan’s manufacturers are technologically competent in this new emerging field. As demand in CPO architecture increases, driven by the need for high-speed AI computation, Taiwanese high-end optocouplers supplier Everlight, is also expecting substantial growth underway.