3M and Microsoft have announced a strategic partnership focused on AI data centre infrastructure and enterprise transformation. Microsoft’s Azure cloud and AI infrastructure will become the first announced hyperscale cloud provider to deploy 3M’s Expanded Beam Optical (EBO) technology. 3M will also use Microsoft’s AI and digital platforms as part of its enterprise transformation across key business functions.
Together, the companies will combine Microsoft’s digital and hyperscale infrastructure with 3M’s materials science and precision manufacturing to accelerate AI adoption and strengthen the physical networks required for the growth of cloud and AI workloads.
As Microsoft continues to advance high-performance, efficient and sustainable infrastructure for enterprise and generative AI workloads, it will deploy 3M’s proprietary EBO technology in Azure data centres.
By using an expanded beam optical interface instead of the direct contact required in traditional connectors, EBO technology is designed to make fibre connections faster to install, more tolerant of contamination and easier to maintain. The technology will help Microsoft reduce the need for frequent cleaning and inspection while supporting reliable optical performance in dense, high-volume deployment environments.
Microsoft’s early use of EBO technology has shown the potential to reduce network deployment timelines in certain environments. The technology has also demonstrated strong signal performance in live data centre conditions, where dust exposure and routine handling are typical during installation and maintenance.
3M is scaling production of its EBO technology to meet accelerating demand from hyperscalers and data centre operators building the infrastructure required for AI. Building on decades of materials science and precision-manufacturing expertise, 3M has advanced single-mode expanded beam optical technology for high-volume data centre applications, supporting disciplined commercialisation and broader adoption across the data centre ecosystem. 3M helped establish the EBO Multi-Source Agreement (MSA) to support standardisation and broader industry adoption of EBO technology.
“At Microsoft, we’re redefining the foundation of cloud and AI infrastructure — combining our own innovations with advances from partners like 3M to build datacentres that are faster to deploy, more resilient and ready for the scale of AI,” said Cliff Henson, corporate vice president, cloud supply chain and engineering at Microsoft. “3M’s EBO solution will help unlock new levels of performance, reliability and efficiency to ensure customers can run their cloud and AI workloads on a trusted, sustainable and advanced environment.”
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