AI Infrastructure

Conclusion: Disruptive Changes Created by UALink and OpenAI, and Cisco’s Leap Forward OpenAI’s expanded strategic investments and the growing market influence of the UALink consortium provide long-term growth momentum for Cisco’s data center business. OpenAI’s transition to a ‘Public Benefit Corporation (PBC)’ and the announcement of a large-scale infrastructure investment of approximately $1.4 trillion are leading to an explosive increase in AI workloads. As UALink, an 'open connectivity standard,' becomes mainstream in the evolution of AI infrastructure, network infrastructure flexibility and scalability are emerging as top priorities. With essential connectivity, security, and optimized network architecture becoming indispensable, Cisco is expected to benefit from both competition and partnerships. Background: OpenAI, UALink, and Changes in the Market Environment 1. OpenAI’s PBC Transition and $1.4 Trillion Infrastructure Investment Plan In October 2025, OpenAI transitioned from its non-profit parent to a ‘Public Benefit Corporation (PBC)’ that combines public benefit and profit, actively pursuing new investments and data center expansion. CEO Sam Altman unveiled a large-scale infrastructure investment plan of approximately $1.4 trillion, which corresponds to about 30 gigawatts (GW) of data center capacity. This scale, capable of supplying about 7.5 million U.S. households, signifies an evolution beyond a mere software company to an 'AI infrastructure utility.' ...

Recently, the market landscape of the artificial intelligence (AI) industry can be described as a history of one company’s monopoly and the challenges against it. While Nvidia established itself as the exclusive “high-speed data highway” of the AI era, UALink (Ultra Accelerator Link) technology, created through the collaboration of major IT companies including AMD, is gradually gaining prominence. In the second half of 2025, a large-scale investment from OpenAI is transforming this technology from a simple open standard into the seed of an ‘industrial transformation.’ Today, we will delve deep into what UALink technology is, why it has been difficult to break Nvidia’s monopoly until now, and why OpenAI’s move is a signal that will shake the market. ...

Can AMD Emerge as a New Powerhouse in the AI Market? AMD’s recent Q2 2025 earnings clearly demonstrated its growth potential in the AI market. Revenue surged by 32% year-over-year to $7.69 billion, surpassing market expectations. This success was driven by the strong performance of EPYC CPUs in the data center segment and Zen 5 processors in the client segment. Notably, as mass production of the MI300 series—a key player in the AI accelerator market—begins, the competition with NVIDIA is entering a new phase. ...