Global two-day forum brings together the Ethernet ecosystem to examine how AI is reshaping Ethernet through advances in standards, signaling, optical infrastructure, and testing.
TEF 2026: The AI Future – Ethernet
BEAVERTON, OR, Aug. 25, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Ethernet Alliance, a global consortium dedicated to the continued success and advancement of Ethernet technologies, today unveiled the agenda for its annual Technology Exploration Forum (TEF 2026). The organization’s flagship forum focused on the intersection of Ethernet and artificial intelligence (AI), The AI Future: Ethernet, takes place October 7–8, 2026, at the Hyatt Centric Mountain View in Mountain View, Calif. TEF 2026 registration is open now.
As AI networks continue converging on Ethernet, the industry’s focus is shifting from adoption to evolution. TEF 2026 will bring together engineers, technologists, standards leaders, and innovators from across the Ethernet ecosystem to examine the technologies, standards, and architectures needed to support AI’s next wave of scale, complexity, and performance.
“AI is accelerating innovation across every layer of networking, but the technologies needed to support AI’s future won’t emerge in isolation,” said Peter Jones, chair, Ethernet Alliance. “Meaningful breakthroughs happen through collaboration, technical debate, and a willingness to challenge conventional thinking. TEF 2026 is where those critical conversations happen.”
Event Overview
TEF 2026: The AI Future: Ethernet features expert-led discussions of the engineering priorities shaping AI networking. Designed for engineers, architects, standards developers, and technologists, the program spans the networking stack, covering IEEE 802.3 activities, high-speed signaling, optical infrastructure and packaging, coherent Ethernet, and network testing.
When: October 7–8, 2026
Where: Hyatt Centric Mountain View, Mountain View, Calif.
Learn more: https://ethernetalliance.org/tef-2026-the-ai-future-ethernet/
Registration: https://bit.ly/Registration_TEF2026
Agenda Highlights
The full agendas for Day 1 and Day 2 of TEF 2026 are available online. It follows AI networking from standards development through deployment, examining some of the industry’s biggest engineering questions, including:
- How IEEE 802.3 is evolving to support AI
- The future of 400 Gb/s signaling and optical infrastructure
- Multi-core fiber, IM-DD optics, and coherent Ethernet
- Next-generation optical packaging and AI network validation
Featured speakers include experts representing leading technology companies and standards development organizations from across the Ethernet ecosystem.
“Evolution has always been foundational to Ethernet’s success,” said John D’Ambrosia, TEF 2026 Chair. “TEF 2026 will provide the forum to explore the technical challenges raised by AI demand, and provide that forward-looking mindset for the industry as it develops the technologies, architectures, and standards that will shape what comes next.”
Generous support from top industry leaders is instrumental to the success of TEF 2026: The AI Future – Ethernet. Platinum sponsor Huawei, as well as additional sponsors, include Teledyne LeCroy, Amphenol, VIAVI Solutions, Parade, 650 Group, CIR, DCTech Analysis, Dell’Oro Group, Lightcounting, OIF, Optica, SNIA, Ultra Ethernet Consortium (UEC), Fibre Systems, and Lightwave.
About the Ethernet Alliance
The Ethernet Alliance is a global consortium that includes system and component vendors, and industry experts who are committed to the continued success and expansion of Ethernet technology. The Ethernet Alliance takes Ethernet standards to market by supporting activities that span from incubation of new Ethernet technologies to interoperability demonstrations and education. The organization’s plans may be found on the Events page of its website.
Contact Info
Laurie Davis
[email protected]
+1 804-337-2569
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- TEF 2026: The AI Future – Ethernet
