Biren Technology unveils optical supernode AI clusters to rival Nvidia

Chinese chip start-up Biren Technology has introduced next-generation 'supernode' solutions that link thousands of AI chips using optical data transmission. The Shanghai-based firm employs near-packaged optics (NPO) to integrate optical fibres closer to processors, boosting data speeds and bypassing traditional architecture limits. This distributed, decoupled design allows scaling up to 1,024 processor cards across a single cluster. The launch highlights the race among AI infrastructure companies to scale raw computing power as models advance to trillions of parameters and AI agents gain adoption. Biren joins other domestic players in addressing hardware bottlenecks, with optical interconnect seen as an inevitable breakthrough. The move positions Biren to compete with Nvidia in the high-performance AI chip market.