Apple is exploring the use of generative artificial intelligence to speed up the design process of its custom chips, according to remarks by Johny Srouji, the company’s senior vice president of hardware technologies.
Srouji made the comments during a speech in Belgium last month while receiving an award from Imec, a semiconductor research group that partners with major global chipmakers. In the speech, he discussed Apple’s chip development history, from the first A4 chip in the iPhone in 2010 to the latest chips used in Mac computers and the Vision Pro headset.
He said Apple has learned that using the most advanced tools, including software from electronic design automation firms, is critical in chip design. Cadence Design Systems and Synopsys, the two largest firms in the EDA industry, are both adding artificial intelligence to their tools.
“EDA companies are super critical in supporting our chip design complexities,” Srouji said. “Generative AI techniques have a high potential in getting more design work in less time, and it can be a huge productivity boost.”
Srouji also said Apple has learned to commit fully to its major decisions. He pointed to Apple’s 2020 transition of its Mac computers from Intel chips to its own Apple Silicon.
“Moving the Mac to Apple Silicon was a huge bet for us. There was no backup plan, no split-the-lineup plan, so we went all in, including a monumental software effort,” he said.
