2026-09-28
As AI training and inference demand surges, data center interconnect bandwidth is rising exponentially. NVIDIA has stated it will use copper wherever copper can be used, and optics only where optics are necessary, elevating high-speed copper cables from a stopgap to a mainstream solution for short-reach AI data center interconnect.
Inside super-node racks and short-reach links, high-speed copper cables offer low cost, low latency, high stability, and low power, making them the most cost-effective solution. A single NVIDIA GB200 NVL72 rack uses more than 5,000 NVLink high-speed copper cables, with a total length over 3 km. The next-generation VR200 NVL144 roughly doubles the copper cable count per connection.
According to Huatai Securities, China AI high-speed copper interconnect market may reach RMB 12.9 billion in 2026 and RMB 30.9 billion by 2029, a roughly 46% CAGR from 2025 to 2029. Global data center high-speed copper cables are expected to grow at about 39.7% CAGR from 2025 to 2030.
Although high-speed copper cables (DAC/AEC) and RF coaxial cables are different product categories, this rapid growth confirms the overall boost that AI computing infrastructure gives the cable industry.