I suppose that I'm answering my own question here:
Co-packaged optics (CPO) generally produce less heat compared to traditional pluggable optics in hyperscale data centers. This is because CPO integrates the optical components directly with the electronic chips, reducing the distance that electrical signals need to travel. This integration minimizes power loss and heat generation.
In contrast, pluggable optics tend to generate more heat due to the longer electrical pathways and the additional power required to drive these signals over greater distances. As data centers scale up to handle the increasing traffic, the efficiency and thermal management benefits of CPO become more significant. I can see from an ease and simplicity position that pluggables will continue to be favored, but I expect that from a heat management standpoint, more and more will migrate to co-packaged optics.
Data Center Evolution: From Pluggable To Co-Packaged Optics (semiengineering.com)
