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Everyone talks about Nvidia GPUs. Few people talk about the lasers connecting them.
Michael Hurlston is the CEO of Lumentum (NASDAQ: LITE), one of the world's leading suppliers of optical networking and laser technologies powering AI data centers. Before joining Lumentum in 2025, he served as CEO of Synaptics and previously led Finisar, making him one of the few executives to lead three public technology companies.
In this conversation from the RAISE Summit in Paris, Michael explains why AI is forcing a once-in-a-generation shift from copper wiring to fiber optics, why hyperscalers are demanding millions of optical components, and why manufacturing these systems has become one of the biggest bottlenecks in AI infrastructure. He also discusses optical networking inside GPU clusters, the future of "optical scale-up," and how the same laser technology could eventually power internet connectivity in space.
"What you get with fiber optics is the ability to move data faster over longer distances with less heat & less power than you get with electricity."
We cover:
› Why AI data centers are replacing copper with fiber optics
› The manufacturing bottlenecks facing optical infrastructure
› Why hyperscalers need millions of optical components
› The coming transition to "optical scale-up"
› Space lasers and the future of internet connectivity
› AI infrastructure, geopolitics, and U.S. manufacturing
› Michael's journey leading Finisar, Synaptics, and now Lumentum
Michael Hurlston: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-hurlston-1b2274/
Molly O’Shea: https://x.com/MollySOShea
Sourcery: https://x.com/sourceryy
𝐄𝐏𝐈𝐒𝐎𝐃𝐄 𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐊𝐒
YouTube: https://youtu.be/TCoJtpFd4yM
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𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐒
(00:00) Michael Hurlston, CEO at Lumentum Holdings
(00:58) Backstage with Tony Kim at RAISE Summit
(01:53) What optical connectivity actually means
(03:31) The $10 trillion irony of the data center build-out
(05:37) Scaling up inside a data center
(08:38) Tripling revenue in 5 quarters
(10:13) From Finisar to Synaptics to Lumentum
(11:51) Why Lumentum went all-in on data centers
(13:10) Why space is the next big market for optical lasers
(14:06) Debunking laser myths
(16:40) Why copper is about to disappear from the server rack
(19:00) The geopolitics of the optical supply chain
(20:16) The advice that shaped Michael's path