# NVIDIA and Cisco Unveil USFP Optics Technology to Power Next-Generation AI Networks

- URL: https://stocks.freetheai.org/news/nvidia-and-cisco-unveil-usfp-optics-technology-to-power-next-generation-ai-91ca11
- Published: 2026-10-12T15:00:00Z
- Category: technology; sentiment: bullish; impact: medium
- Symbols: [NASDAQ:NVDA](https://stocks.freetheai.org/symbols/NASDAQ-NVDA)
- Written by our AI from expert market sources across the web for FreeTheAI Stocks, built by Vibhek Soni
- How write-ups are made: https://stocks.freetheai.org/how-we-write
- Not financial advice: https://stocks.freetheai.org/disclaimer

NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) and Cisco Systems have announced a new pluggable optical module format called USFP. Designed for high-density artificial intelligence environments, the technology delivers up to 12.8 terabits per second (Tb/s) per module while fitting into a standard OSFP footprint. It reaches speeds of 400 gigabits per second (Gb/s) per lane over 16 lanes, doubling lane speeds without requiring extra network tiers.

The technology aims to ease capacity and energy constraints in AI data centers by quadrupling front-panel switch bandwidth and offering about 1.3 times the power efficiency of existing 200Gb/s-per-lane modules. It handles up to 100 watts of thermal dissipation without requiring dedicated transceiver cooling. Following the news, shares of NVIDIA Corporation dropped 1.42% to $226.

The two technology companies plan to establish an open specification through a Multi-Source Agreement with partners TE Connectivity and Amphenol. Key developments to monitor include the formal release of the specification, multi-vendor adoption, and design wins at major AI facility operators.

## Key points

- NVIDIA Corporation and Cisco introduced USFP, a 400Gb/s-per-lane pluggable optical format for AI data centers.
- The modules deliver up to 12.8Tb/s within an OSFP footprint, quadrupling front-panel switch bandwidth.
- USFP improves energy efficiency by roughly 1.3 times over 200Gb/s-per-lane modules and handles up to 100W dissipation.
- An open specification will be released under a Multi-Source Agreement with TE Connectivity and Amphenol.

## Questions and answers

### What is USFP optics unveiled by NVIDIA and Cisco?

USFP is a pluggable optical module format offering up to 12.8Tb/s bandwidth at 400Gb/s per lane, designed to scale artificial intelligence network capacity and power efficiency.

### How power efficient is USFP compared to existing optical modules?

USFP offers roughly 1.3 times the power efficiency of 200Gb/s-per-lane modules while supporting up to 100 watts of dissipation without needing specialized transceiver cooling.

### Who is creating the open specification for USFP?

NVIDIA and Cisco plan to publish an open specification through a Multi-Source Agreement alongside TE Connectivity and Amphenol.