Data Center Cabling for AI Workloads: What’s Changing in 2025?

By 2025, AI-driven compute clusters will demand unprecedented processing power and transformative cabling solutions to enable faster, denser, and greener connectivity. Below are four key trends reshaping the future of fiber optic cabling in AI data centers.

Trend 1: Hyperscale Demands: Space Optimization Becomes Non-negotiable

AI workloads, particularly generative AI, require exponentially more bandwidth than traditional applications. For example, generative AI data centers need 10 times more fiber than conventional setups to support GPU clusters and low-latency interconnects. This surge stems from the need to move massive datasets between servers, storage, and accelerators without bottlenecks.

The following Table 1 comes from NVIDIA’s DGX H100 AI Design Guidelines. It shows that configuring 56 SU units with over 2000 DGX H100 nodes would require 16,384 individual cables (one per GPU node), leading to an unmanageable data center cable bundle. Instead, using high-density fiber such as MTP®/MPO-8 fiber cables can dramatically streamline the layout. For example, a 144-fiber MTP®/MPO-8 cable can consolidate 18 MTP®-8 cables into one high-density trunk. A 16,384-GPU cluster would need just 15x 144-fiber MTP®/MPO-8 trunks to deliver 270 connection channels (256 uplinks + 14 spares), reducing physical cabling by 98% and maximizing space efficiency in AI server farms.

Compute Node Count	GPU Count	Pod Count	Leaf Swith Count	Spine Switch Count	Core Switch Count	Node-leaf Cable Count	Leaf-spine Cable Count	Spine-core Count
2048	16384	64	512	512	256	16384	16384	16384

Furthermore, the latest VSFF fiber connectors like MMC connectors triple MTP®/MPO port density with the same fiber count, further improving rack space utilization and efficiency. For instance, MMC-16 APC fiber jumpers with a smaller 2.5mm outside diameter provided by FS adopt Corning® SMF-28® Ultra Fiber design, allowing leading attenuation and macro-bending performance that exceeds ITU-T G.657.A1 fibers. These quality materials minimize the optical footprint and enhance rack utilization. Learn more about how MMC connectors can enhance AI data center efficiency here.

Figure 1: MMC provides more density in a single 1RU space versus MTP®.

Trend 2: Speed vs Scalability: The Race to Future-proof AI Infrastructure

Speed is critical for AI compute centers, especially during transitions to next-gen networks. As AI scales, the shift to 400G, 800G, and eventually 1.6T demands a data center cabling infrastructure that can expand rapidly without costly overhauls. Corning’s EDGE™ Rapid Connect solution with pre-terminated EDGE™ RC Indoor Breakout Trunk, a pre-terminated and factory-tested cabling system, has been demonstrated in real-world deployments to reduce installation time by up to 40%, which is particularly beneficial during these transitions.

In parallel, a pre-terminated fiber cabling system with modular designs can protect future-proof investments by supporting multi-speed iterations within the same infrastructure. For example, FS FHX™ high-density cabling series supports flexible combinations of MTP®-LC cassette and 1U fiber enclosure modular cabling solutions. The FHX™ fiber enclosure uses a 2-layer sliding drawer design and offers 8/12 port options. When loading with 12 FHX™ MTP®-8 to LC cassettes, operators can seamlessly upgrade from 40G to 100/400G networks and beyond by changing the correspondent transceivers on both sides, effectively reducing deployment risks. Meanwhile, this solution accelerates the rollout of 400G and 800G networks, enabling faster deployment with less labor and disruption. Explore more FS high-density cabling solutions here.

Figure 2: FHX™ cabling solution via FHX™ MTP®-LC cassette and 1U fiber enclosure.

Trend 3: Interconnected Ecosystems: Long-Haul Fiber as the Backbone of Distributed AI

This trend is primarily driven by the surge in global AI workloads and the increasing demand for low latency, prompting large-scale training to shift from a single data center to multiple data centers. This transition enables collaborative operations and provides sufficient computing power. Industry giants such as Google, OpenAI, and Anthropic have already started expanding large-scale model training across multiple data center campuses. This transition demands to use low-attenuation single mode fiber cables for reliable transmission over distances spanning tens of miles or more. Additionally, when deployed in harsh outdoor environments, rugged and durable industrial outdoor optical cables play a critical role.

FS has extensive experience in this arena. FS has successfully helped a Singapre renewable energy company deployed industrial-grade armored fiber cables to connect a seaside monitoring station to a distribution box under adverse conditions, see the full project details here. And as a request from a Canadian IT services client, FS’s D7000 series and single mode fiber helped them to achieve 20 km of 400G DCI transmission for an IT services client, learn more about the case here.

Trend 4: Sustainability Imperative: Energy-Efficient Data Center Cabling Redefines AI’s Carbon Future

As AI data centers expand, energy efficiency becomes increasingly important—not only to reduce operational costs but also to meet regulatory standards. Under the EU Energy Efficiency Directive, data centers are expected to achieve a Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) below 1.3 by 2030, yet the global average PUE remains 1.56 in 2024. Fiber cabling system plays a critical role in this effort by offering low-loss transmission and high-density deployment.

FS’s fiber products incorporate low-loss technologies such as Corning ClearCurve® Multimode Fiber and SMF-28® Ultra Fiber, achieving MTP®/MPO fiber typical insertion losses as low as 0.15 dB. This may reduce energy waste. Additionally, FS introduced VSFF fiber connector products like MDC and MMC fiber cables to enable more connections in limited rack space, reducing data center cable lengths and improving airflow. This not only minimizes the cooling load, but also directly contributes to lower energy consumption — an essential factor in achieving sustainable, low-PUE data centers.

Conclusion

The AI era demands data center cabling that balances speed, density, and sustainability. By 2025, data centers adopting high-density MTP®/MPO trunks, modular fiber cabling systems, and energy-efficient designs will be popular in the AI landscape. FS empowers this transition with solutions that meet today’s needs while scaling for tomorrow’s breakthroughs.