Apple plans AI-powered chip design tools to superpower productivity

Apple is exploring the use of generative artificial intelligence to accelerate the design of its custom chips, according to remarks from its senior vice president of hardware technologies, Johny Srouji. The move signals Apple’s commitment to leveraging cutting-edge tools to maintain its competitive edge in chip development, as the company continues expanding its custom silicon across its entire product lineup.

What you should know: Srouji outlined Apple’s interest in AI-powered chip design during a speech in Belgium, where he was receiving an award from Imec, a leading semiconductor research organization.
• “Generative AI techniques have a high potential in getting more design work in less time, and it can be a huge productivity boost,” Srouji said in his remarks, which were recorded and reviewed by Reuters.
• Apple plans to work with electronic design automation (EDA) companies like Cadence Design Systems and Synopsys, both of which are racing to integrate AI into their chip design software offerings.

In plain English: Electronic design automation (EDA) companies create specialized software that helps engineers design computer chips—think of it like advanced CAD software for architects, but for creating the intricate circuits inside processors.

The big picture: Apple’s chip design strategy has evolved dramatically since launching its first custom A4 processor in the iPhone in 2010, now powering everything from Mac computers to the Vision Pro headset.
• The company has learned that using “the most cutting-edge tools available” is essential for managing increasingly complex chip designs.
• “EDA companies are super critical in supporting our chip design complexities,” Srouji noted, emphasizing the importance of these partnerships.

Why this matters: Apple’s embrace of AI in chip design reflects the broader industry trend toward automation in semiconductor development, where design complexity has grown exponentially while time-to-market pressures intensify.
• The move could help Apple maintain its technological advantage as it continues developing custom silicon for all its major product categories.
• Major EDA companies are already investing heavily in AI capabilities, making this a competitive necessity rather than just an efficiency gain.

Key lesson from Apple’s playbook: Srouji revealed that Apple’s transition from Intel chips to its own Apple Silicon in Mac computers involved significant risk-taking with no backup plans.
• “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 explained.
• This all-in approach has become a defining characteristic of Apple’s hardware strategy, allowing for more integrated and optimized performance across its ecosystem.