3M says Microsoft certified its optical tech for Azure data centers

According to CNBC, 3M said Microsoft certified its expanded beam optical connectivity technology for use in Azure data centers after several years of testing. 3M CEO Bill Brown said the technology saves 85% of installation time for hyperscalers, has 100 patents in the space with another 50 pending, and is designed to help them deploy fiber-optic networks faster as AI workloads push a shift away from copper networking. Brown said the business is expected to generate $40 million to $50 million in revenue this year, could rise to as much as five times that over the next several years, and has a total addressable market of about $1 billion this year that could grow to roughly $2 billion by 2028. 3M plans to double production capacity this year and double it again over the following 12 to 18 months while also relying on contract manufacturers and other suppliers to meet demand.