Distributed AI Infrastructure with Photonics

2026 CIAT's First IOWN Regional Workshop Concludes Successfully

With the explosive growth in demand for AI computing, constructing network infrastructure that is high-bandwidth, low-latency, and energy-efficient has become a primary industry focus. On March 31, 2026, the Cloud Computing & IoT Association in Taiwan (CIAT) hosted its first major IOWN event of the year: " Distributed AI Infrastructure with Photonics – IOWN Taiwan Regional Workshop 2026." This event serves as a significant milestone for CIAT and is the first regional collaboration officially certified by the IOWN Global Forum, signaling that Taiwan’s all-optical network development is now fully aligned with international standards.

CIAT Executive Director Robert Hsu noted that the association has been dedicated to technical co-creation for 16 years. Since last year, the association established a Photonic Network Working Group to actively promote Taiwanese products on the global stage. Lai Kuo-Hsiang, Managing Director at Chunghwa Telecom and convener of CIAT System Committee Photonic Network WG, emphasized that while AI requires immense power, "Distributed AI Data Centers" are becoming a vital trend in power-constrained environments. By utilizing the high-bandwidth and low-latency properties of IOWN all-optical networks, small-scale AI centers in different locations can be connected to achieve the vision of "AI for IOWN, IOWN for AI."

Expert Insights: IOWN Innovation and Policy Strategy

The workshop gathered top experts from industry, academia, and research to analyze the future of IOWN technology and AI infrastructure.

National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University / Saviah Technologies presented on the "Symphony of Light and Wireless," demonstrating the deep integration of IOWN all-optical technology with Open RAN. The ultra-low latency provided by all-optical networks effectively supports Edge AI and distributed computing, overcoming performance bottlenecks found in traditional architectures.

UfiSpace focused on the evolution of Data Center Interconnect (DCI) toward 800G to meet AI demands. They explained how IOWN technology addresses the power consumption and latency challenges of traditional electronic switching to build a stronger foundation for distributed AI. Leveraging their one-stop hardware/software services and international Proof of Concept (PoC) experience, they showcased a robust layout for hardware architecture.

ITRI (Industrial Technology Research Institute) proposed an IOWN DCI MVP (Minimum Viable Product) strategy. This aims to build a functional reference system to help Taiwan’s supply chain transform open international architectures into mass-producible equipment. Through a shared verification platform, domestic vendors can collaborate to shorten development cycles and export local applications internationally.

Chunghwa Telecom reviewed its experience participating in the IOWN Workshop Japan in February this year. Addressing future security needs, they shared insights on applying Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) within the APN architecture to ensure high-level security for optical transmissions. Regarding industrial development, they emphasized that promoting "Open Standards" is a critical opportunity for Taiwan. By implementing technical specifications and interoperability verification for Open ROADM and Open ZR+, an open architecture can be built to avoid vendor lock-in. This move capitalizes on the power of Taiwan’s hardware supply chain and helps domestic players collaborate in a fair international competitive environment to create a more open and resilient industrial ecosystem.

Furthermore, regarding recent global promotion efforts, Chunghwa Telecom noted that IOWN technology is moving from theoretical standardization into the actual application phase. Through global promotion on the IOWN Global Forum’s official website and joint management among members, the international exposure of Taiwan’s supply chain in the optical communication field will significantly increase, helping them seize the lead in global digital transformation.

2026 Cooperation: CIAT & IOWN Global Forum

CIAT has been working closely with the IOWN Global Forum. In addition to this workshop, a Taiwan–Japan IOWN APN & DCI Workshop and Exhibition will be held on June 3 during Computex. The event aims to further enhance the global influence of Taiwan and Japan in IOWN-related technologies and solutions. All-optical networking has also been included as one of the government’s “Top 10 AI Infrastructure Initiatives.” Moving forward, efforts will continue in collaboration with relevant government agencies to promote the “IOWN Living Ecosystem,” bringing IOWN applications into everyday life for the public.

Industry Dialogue: Implementation and Development

The event concluded with an in-depth dialogue between experts and member companies regarding the actual challenges of implementing IOWN technology and products. Participants discussed their roles in the supply chain and suggested that CIAT provide more technical matchmaking and assistance for international market expansion. This dialogue solidified industry consensus and laid a firm foundation for Taiwan's layout in distributed AI computing.

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