Corning shares jump after Nvidia investment in AI fiber optics
Updated
Updated · The Wall Street Journal · May 6
Corning shares jump after Nvidia investment in AI fiber optics
12 articles · Updated · The Wall Street Journal · May 6
Nvidia said it would invest $500m in Corning, after earlier filings showed rights tied to up to 15 million shares.
The companies are expanding fiber-optic manufacturing for AI data centres, including three new facilities in North Carolina and Texas and a planned 10-fold rise in US optical capacity.
Corning stock has more than tripled over the past year and is up 85% in 2026, as demand for faster, lower-energy AI data links boosts both Corning and Nvidia shares.
As Nvidia bets billions on optical interconnects, could a rival technology render this new infrastructure obsolete?
To solve AI's energy crisis, Nvidia is building massive factories. What is the environmental price of this solution?
If AI's future is bound by the speed of light, how will this new infrastructure create untouchable technology hubs?
NVIDIA-Corning Partnership Drives 10x Optical Connectivity Expansion to Power U.S. AI Factories
Overview
In early 2026, NVIDIA and Corning partnered to expand U.S. manufacturing by building three new facilities in North Carolina and Texas, boosting Corning's optical connectivity capacity tenfold and fiber production by 50%. This expansion supports the explosive growth of AI, which is transforming data centers into massive AI campuses requiring high-performance fiber optics due to copper cabling limitations. Co-Packaged Optics (CPO) technology is becoming essential for efficient, power-saving AI infrastructure, despite manufacturing challenges. The partnership also aims to reshore critical supply chains, reduce foreign dependence, and create over 3,000 high-paying jobs. Looking ahead, future AI factories will demand ultra-dense fiber networks and advanced optical solutions, though supply chain resilience and cost remain key concerns.