A group of optical connectivity vendors including Ciena, Coherent, Marvell, Molex, Samtec, and TeraHop announced the formation of the Open CPX MSA, a new industry initiative focused on defining common specifications for optical engines used in co-packaged and near-package interconnects for AI data center applications. The group said the effort is intended to support a broad ecosystem of interoperable optical engines that can be integrated closer to switching and compute silicon.
The Open CPX MSA said it will develop specifications spanning mechanical interfaces, electrical pinouts, thermal requirements, and management interfaces for optical engines. The effort targets a growing challenge in AI infrastructure design: conventional pluggable optics are increasingly constrained by power, density, and reach requirements as AI clusters scale to larger fabrics with much higher east-west bandwidth demands.
The founding companies positioned the initiative as a way to accelerate multi-vendor interoperability in a market that is rapidly moving toward tighter integration between optics and switching ASICs. By standardizing the optical engine layer, the group aims to reduce integration friction and broaden the supplier ecosystem for emerging co-packaged and near-package optical systems used in AI networks.
Key Points
• Open CPX MSA formed by Ciena, Coherent, Marvell, Molex, Samtec, and TeraHop
• Initiative targets optical engines for co-packaged and near-package interconnects
• Specifications will cover mechanical, electrical, thermal, and management interfaces
• Goal is to enable a broad multi-vendor ecosystem for AI data center optics
• Effort reflects growing demand for tighter integration of optics with switching silicon
“The rate of innovation in AI infrastructure is increasing demand for higher bandwidth, lower power and more scalable interconnect technologies,” the group said in the launch announcement. “Open CPX MSA will develop the specifications for optical engines required to enable a broad ecosystem of interoperable co-packaged and near-package interconnect solutions.”
🌐 Analysis
The Open CPX MSA is notable because it shifts the industry conversation from co-packaged optics as a one-off product concept to the need for a standardized engine layer that multiple vendors can build around. That matters for AI infrastructure because optical engines are increasingly being positioned as a practical way to move optics closer to switch ASICs without forcing every system vendor into a proprietary integration path.
The core issue is bandwidth density. AI clusters are demanding far more short-reach bandwidth than conventional front-panel pluggables can deliver efficiently. As switch radix rises and AI fabrics push toward denser 200G-per-lane and higher-speed designs, the interconnect challenge becomes not just one of optical performance but of packaging, thermal management, and serviceability. Open CPX is addressing that integration layer directly.
