Memory Wall Gets Higher


Key Takeaways An increasing percentage of the chip area is consumed by the same amount of SRAM for each node shrink. The problem is not limited to leading-edge AI, as it will eventually impact even small MCUs and MPUs. Architectural changes may be required. Stacking SRAM chiplets on logic is possible but expensive. SRAM is a vital piece of all computing systems, but its fail... » read more

Data Boom Puts Pressure On NoCs, Fabrics


Key Takeaways: NoC challenges, such as wiring congestion, timing closure, and performance, must be considered in tandem with topology and placement. Topologies can be customized to meet an application’s specific data flow needs, with a system containing multiple topologies to suit different data or zones. What is challenging for one type of system, such as an SoC, switch, or AI chi... » read more

AI Won’t Kill Verification IP, But It Will Redefine It


Key Takeaways AI will enhance, not replace, verification IP by automating test generation and debug. Verification IP’s core value will increasingly lie in trust, accountability, and system-level realism, especially as designs become more complex, multi-die, and security-sensitive. AI shifts verification bottlenecks from execution to specification quality, raising expectations for c... » read more

Chip Industry Week In Review


Big Deals and Fundings Rapidus secured US$1.7B in a new funding round from the Japanese government and the private sector to ramp 2nm production by next year. Open AI announced a $110B in new funding, with $30B from Nvidia, $30B from Softbank and $50B from Amazon. In a $100B multi-year deal, Meta will power its AI infrastructure with up to 6GW of AMD's GPUs. SambaNova and Intel ar... » read more

AI Starting To Simplify Design Of Programmable Logic


Key Takeaways AI/ML and agentic tools are getting better at helping design and compile FPGAs, but downstream programming is slower to benefit. FPGAs historically have been designed using Verilog or VHDL, but higher-level languages could push more intelligence into compilers. ML tools can also help with mixed-signal co-design by automatically tuning DSP algorithms based on analog simu... » read more

Can A Computer Science Student Be Taught To Design Hardware?


Key Takeaways New approaches are being devised and tested to address the talent shortage. Leveraging AI in design tools will help engineers become more efficient, and potentially could reduce the time it takes to train engineering students. EDA companies are looking at whether it's possible to train computer science and software engineers to become hardware engineers. A vari... » read more

AI’s Impact On Engineering Jobs May Be Different Than Expected


Key Takeaways: AI is expected to eliminate many repetitive, entry-level tasks, but that may allow engineering students trained on the latest tools to start in more senior positions. AI is a force multiplier. It can accelerate the learning curve for junior engineers. While AI is very good at solving multi-dimensional problems, domain expertise, critical thinking, and sanity checks wil... » read more

Chip Industry Week in Review


Geopolitics Taiwan and the U.S. signed a trade agreement this week, with TSMC and other Taiwanese companies collectively pledging to directly invest at least $250B in investments in advanced semiconductor, energy and AI production and capacity in the U.S.  The agreement also included Taiwan providing another $250B in credit guarantees for additional IC supply chain expansions in the U.S., cap... » read more

Annual Global IC Fabs And Facilities Report


Semiconductor companies announced a significant number of facilities in 2025 as global onshoring efforts continued across manufacturing, materials, packaging, design, and R&D. Investments came from both industry and government sources. Organizations worked together to solve current technology challenges, including soaring demand for AI chips and advanced memory, as well as complex applic... » read more

Programmable Chips Evolve For Shifting Needs


ICs and SoCs are utilizing a range of processing elements that allow them to optimize current workloads while hedging their bets for the future. What used to be a simple choice between an ASIC, FPGA, or DSP, has evolved into a mix of processor types and architectures, including varying levels of programmability and customization. Speed is essential, but technology is evolving so quickly that... » read more

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