Refreshed roadmap defines Ethernet’s evolving role in AI, automotive, and next-generation connectivity, spotlighting emerging trends shaping tomorrow’s networks
The Ethernet Alliance, a global consortium dedicated to the continued success and advancement of Ethernet technologies, today announced the public release of its 2026 Ethernet Roadmap. Initially debuted during TEF 2025: Ethernet for AI, it highlights the technologies, trends, and breakthroughs set to define the next era of high-performance, AI-driven networking.
Ethernet is evolving to meet AI’s insatiable appetite for speed and scale. The latest Ethernet Roadmap shows how upgrades like 1.6 Terabits per second (Tb/s) interfaces, Linear Pluggable Optics (LPO), improved copper and fiber options, and energy-efficient designs will facilitate growth in AI, cloud services, business, automotive, manufacturing, and edge computing.
“A half-century down the road, Ethernet has reached its next turning point,” said Peter Jones, chair, Ethernet Alliance. “The 2026 Ethernet Roadmap shows how Ethernet is staying ahead of network changes, delivering the correct mix of performance, power, and flexibility as AI becomes central to what we do every day.”
The 2026 Ethernet Roadmap highlights a deepening convergence as hyperscalers adopt 100G–800G interconnects, telcos roll out advanced optical transport for 5G and AI, and enterprises transition to 2.5G/5G/10G BASE-T with higher-speed optical uplinks to support next-gen Wi-Fi and AI-enabled workplaces.
The roadmap also outlines the increasing use of automotive Ethernet in software-defined vehicles, the arrival of Wi-Fi 7 and 8, and how industrial networks are changing with time-sensitive networking (TSN), BASE-T1 PHYs, and combined 5G/Wi-Fi/Ethernet systems that enable automation in real time.
As global electricity needs rise, the 2026 Ethernet Roadmap emphasizes the industry’s concentration on more bandwidth per watt, better optics, and new cooling and power-management, each a key to responsibly growing AI and facilitating Ethernet’s continued expansion and advancement.
Unveiled first and exclusively at TEF 2025: Ethernet for AI, the 2026 Ethernet Roadmap is now publicly available for download at the Ethernet Alliance website: https://bit.ly/EA-2026EthernetRoadmap.
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