Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:NVDA) is doubling down on artificial intelligence infrastructure with a $4 billion investment in optical networking companies and a new push into 6G.
Nvidia Invests $4 Billion In Photonics Partners
The biggest tech giant by market cap agreed to invest $2 billion each in Lumentum Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:LITE) and Coherent Corp. (NYSE:COHR) under separate multi-year deals.
Each agreement includes multibillion-dollar purchase commitments and future capacity access rights for advanced laser and optical networking components.
The companies said Nvidia will use the funds to support research and development and to expand future capacity and U.S. manufacturing operations.
Lumentum and Coherent develop optical and photonics technologies that generate and transmit light for high-bandwidth, energy-efficient data transfer in AI and cloud computing systems.
Indium phosphide lasers—produced in the U.S. mainly by these two companies—enable faster data transmission and higher bandwidth connections in data centers.
The agreements provide demand visibility for these components and help reduce expansion risk.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang told CNBC, “Together with Lumentum, Nvidia is advancing the world’s most sophisticated silicon photonics to build the next generation of gigawatt-scale AI factories,” and added that Nvidia will work with Coherent to develop next-generation silicon photonics for AI infrastructure.
Shares of Lumentum and Coherent rose following the announcement, with Lumentum climbing as much as 11% and Coherent reaching a record high in earlier trading.
Nvidia Expands Into 6G With Telecom Partners
Separately, Nvidia announced Sunday that it is partnering with telecom and technology companies to advance 6G using open, secure, and AI-native network designs.
The company said it plans to build future wireless systems around software-based architectures and AI-RAN (artificial intelligence—radio access network), allowing networks to improve through software updates and embedded intelligence.
CEO Jensen Huang said, “AI is redefining computing and driving the largest infrastructure buildout in human history — and telecommunications is next.”
Nvidia named partners, including T-Mobile US Inc. (NASDAQ:TMUS), SoftBank Corp. (OTC:SFTBY), and Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO).
NVDA Price Action
Semiconductor and major tech stocks continued to slide despite strong earnings from Nvidia, as investors weighed AI profitability concerns, heavy capital spending, macroeconomic pressures, and rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. Nvidia shares were down 3.09% at $176.85 during premarket trading on Tuesday, according to Benzinga Pro data.
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