AI infrastructure optimization is shifting focus from token generation to prefill processing, which handles input context before model output begins. Prefill and decode have different computational needs, leading companies like Lumai to advocate for specialized hardware architectures rather than using the same processors for both tasks. As context lengths grow and agentic workflows increase, prefill efficiency becomes critical to managing power budgets and inference economics in data centers.
LPO, NPO, and CPO are optical interconnect technologies designed to address bandwidth, power efficiency, and latency challenges in AI and HPC data centers as they scale beyond traditional electrical solutions. LPO (Linear-drive Pluggable Optics), proposed by Macom and NVIDIA in 2022, eliminates DSP chips for direct analog signal processing, reducing power consumption by 30–50% and latency while lowering costs.