AI surge sets a 175-year-old U.S. manufacturer on track to double in size, CEO says

Corning is ramping up production of optical fiber as the AI data-center boom fuels a surge in demand for high-speed connectivity. The 175-year-old manufacturer said it will partner with Nvidia to build three advanced optical-manufacturing facilities in North Carolina and Texas, a move expected to create more than 3,000 U.S. jobs and expand domestic optical capacity tenfold. CEO Wendell Weeks said the company is on pace for its fastest growth in nearly two centuries and could double in size in coming years, driven by the need to link AI chips with glass-based connections. The expansion underscores how the AI buildout is spilling into traditional industrial supply chains while intensifying a shortage of skilled manufacturing labor.

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