The “Aorta” Under the Compute Surge: Analysis of the Explosive Demand for Special Cables in AI Big Data Centers in 2026

In 2026, global AI infrastructure investment is projected to exceed $725 billion. China’s total data center rack scale is expected to surpass 10 million racks, with the power density of a single rack in intelligent computing centers generally leaping to over 30kW, and some liquid-cooled clusters even reaching 120kW. This exponential growth poses nearly stringent requirements for power transmission and data communication. As the physical medium connecting computing chips, servers, storage, and network equipment, the role of special cables is being completely rewritten.

Traditional data center cables only needed to meet basic power distribution and Gigabit Ethernet transmission requirements, whereas AI computing centers must address three major new challenges:

Ultra-high Power Density: Requires power distribution cables to carry larger currents within limited space, while possessing excellent heat dissipation and flame-retardant properties.

Low Latency & High Bandwidth: The parallel training of 10,000-card GPU clusters has fueled a hunger for ultra-low latency and ultra-high bandwidth data cables; any signal attenuation or crosstalk could lead to a cliff-like drop in training efficiency.

Liquid Cooling Compatibility: The popularization of liquid cooling environments requires cable insulation and sheath materials to withstand coolant corrosion and maintain stable electrical performance under long-term immersion.

This qualitative shift in demand structure means special cables are no longer standardized products but customized core components deeply coupled with data center architecture design. The cable industry is shifting from “selling cables” to “selling systems,” with providing integrated solutions of “cables + connectors + intelligent cabling” becoming the focus of competition for leading cable enterprises.

As Artificial Intelligence (AI) moves from general large models to deep vertical industry applications, global data center construction is undergoing an unprecedented paradigm shift. In this compute arms race, cables, as the “blood system” connecting computing clusters and energy centers, are moving from a backstage supporting role to the forefront of technological innovation.

1. Energy Hunger: The Surge in High Voltage and Super-Large Current Demand

The power consumption of AI chips (such as the Blackwell architecture series and subsequent versions) has increased several times compared to traditional CPU servers. The power density of a single rack is evolving from 20kW towards 100kW+.

Medium/High Voltage Incoming Line Demand: To reduce transmission losses, big data centers are directly introducing 35kV or 110kV medium/high voltage cables into park substations, posing extreme requirements for cable insulation reliability. Medium/high voltage cables adopt a multi-layer composite structure, including conductor shielding layers, insulation layers (such as Cross-linked Polyethylene (XLPE), with thickness far greater than low voltage), insulation shielding layers, and metal shielding layers, to uniformize the electric field and prevent electromagnetic interference. Performance requirements are more stringent, with YJLW02, YJLW03, YJV, and YJLV being obvious choices.

Low Voltage Large Current Distribution Cables: In terminal power distribution, intensive bus ducts or super-large cross-section low-voltage cables capable of carrying thousands of amperes of current are becoming standard. For example, large current flexible busbars feature large current carrying capacity, seamless integration, and capabilities for waterproofing, wear resistance, and external pressure resistance, suitable for scenarios with high space and protection requirements such as new energy, data centers, industrial plants, and chemical parks.

2. Extreme Environments: Material Revolution Brought by Liquid Cooling Technology

In 2026, traditional air cooling technology can no longer meet the heat dissipation demands of top-tier AI computing nodes, with immersion liquid cooling and cold plate liquid cooling seeing large-scale adoption.

Resistance to Synthetic Oil/Fluorinated Fluid Corrosion: Traditional cable sheath materials can swell or harden after long-term immersion in coolant. Industry demand for chemically resistant special polymer sheaths has grown by 150% year-on-year.

High Temperature Stability: AI server internal ambient temperatures often remain high, requiring cables to possess the capability for stable operation in environments of 105°C or even 125°C for long periods, significantly increasing the usage of special materials like silicone rubber and cross-linked polyethylene.

3. Speed is Paramount: Iteration of High-Speed Data Transmission Cables

The core of computing clusters lies in “interconnection.” NVLink interconnection between GPUs and photoelectric conversion between data center switches pose strict challenges to cabling systems.

Arrival of the 224G/448G Era: DAC (Direct Attach Cables) and high-performance fiber patch cords must achieve extremely low signal attenuation while maintaining extremely fine diameters.

LSZH (Low Smoke Zero Halogen) is the Bottom Line: As a closed and expensive environment, data centers have upgraded cable fire protection ratings to IEC 60332-3-22 (Category A) level. Low smoke zero halogen, high flame-retardant power cables have become standard for AI data centers. Some ultra-large-scale projects also require cables to possess fire integrity, ensuring critical loads can still operate under extreme conditions.

4. Green Footprint: Low-Carbon Cables Under ESG Orientation

Global tech giants (such as Google, Microsoft, Meta) have listed LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) as a core metric when procuring cables.

Recyclable Materials: Cables made from recycled copper or bio-based plastics are more favored, such as WDZ-YJY and bio-based polyurethane (TPU) sheathed cables. These products typically obtain environmental certifications (such as Carbon Footprint Certification, RoHS, REACH).

Lower Losses: Optimizing the purity of copper conductors (reaching over 99.99%) to reduce resistive losses is viewed as a key path to reducing “Scope 2” carbon emissions in data centers.

From Cat6A to Cat8, to Hybrid Architectures with Active Optical Cables: Short-distance interconnection between servers and switches is upgrading from traditional copper cables to higher-speed specifications. Cat.8 copper cables have achieved transmission rates of 40Gbps, but their physical limits at higher bandwidths are driving a hybrid networking formation of active optical cables and direct attach copper cables. In long-distance interconnection across racks and even across data halls, demand for special fiber optic cables is showing explosive growth.

Technical Barriers and Capacity Bottlenecks: A Contest Determining Industry Rankings

The explosive demand for special cables is pushing industry competition into the deep waters of materials science and precision manufacturing. Upstream core material processes are accelerating, with R&D into high-temperature resistant, corrosion-resistant, and lightweight special polymer materials becoming key to determining corporate competitiveness. In the midstream manufacturing sector, intelligent manufacturing technologies like digital twins and AI visual inspection are widely applied to improve product consistency and yield rates, significantly shortening new product R&D cycles.

However, rigid constraints on the supply side cannot be ignored. Taking fiber optic preforms as an example, their capacity expansion cycle is as long as 18 to 24 months, with extremely high technical barriers; global capacity is highly concentrated in a few top enterprises. Against the backdrop of surging demand, some general-purpose fiber capacity is being squeezed out by special fiber, further exacerbating supply tightness.

Conclusion: 2026 is the Watershed for Cable Enterprises

AI is not only changing code but also reshaping basic physical connections. For cable manufacturers, traditional low-end, homogeneous capacity will be rapidly eliminated. Only enterprises deeply cultivating high-temperature materials, ultra-high voltage technology, and high-speed signal integrity can get a share of the pie in this trillion-level AI infrastructure wave.