In a way, they are trying to do something when they lack the InP capacity to respond to the competition. If productization succeeds, they will use that architecture in this mega data center they are building.
The gizmo is made in the US, backed by well-known companies, and it would be expensive for others to manufacture to that standard.
It speaks to Cisco’s desperation, as they are willing to cannibalize their own switch business just to get into the AI bed with Nvidia. Admittedly, these have better margins than switches, but there are also plenty of parties taking a cut, so it won’t be any goldmine for Cisco vs. Nokia’s completely in-house design.