OCP Evenstar Workstream Call (Jan 09, 2026)

Why It Matters

The shift signals OCP’s strategic move to standardize hardware and infrastructure for edge AI, accelerating vendor and operator alignment on smaller, AI-optimized racks, cooling/power retrofits, and AI-native radio units — changes that could reshape supply chains and deployment models for telecom and cloud providers.

Summary

On the Jan. 9 Evenstar workstream call, OCP leaders outlined a reorganization that will fold the Evenstar project into a newly proposed AI computing continuum, replacing the existing telco/edge top-level project. The group plans to refocus Evenstar toward integrating AI into radio units and smaller-scale AI deployments, emphasizing modular AI MHS server designs, retrofit strategies for power and cooling, and new networking approaches (scale-up/scale-out/scale-across). Engagements from Nokia, Sienna, and a vendor called River (mmWave in-rack links) were noted, while a new co-chair and a postponed Nvidia presentation were deferred to future meetings. Upcoming community events include the EMA summit and Canada Tech Day on June 10–11, where the workstream expects further coordination and outreach.