Small Vs. Large Language Models


The proliferation of edge AI will require fundamental changes in language models and chip architectures to make inferencing and learning outside of AI data centers a viable option. The initial goal for small language models (SLMs) — roughly 10 billion parameters or less, compared to more than a trillion parameters in the biggest LLMs — was to leverage them exclusively for inferencing. In... » read more

Even With AI Inroads, Human Chip Designers Still Essential


The proliferation of AI tools seems perfectly matched to fill a talent shortage, but a closer look shows the skills do not entirely overlap. Certain parts of the EDA pipeline require human engineers, and it seems likely to stay that way for the foreseeable future. The dark art of analog design, the final word on safety-critical functional safety, high-level architectural decisions, product i... » read more

Developing RISC-V Compute Subsystems


As demand grows for scalable, efficient, and customized compute, more companies are turning to RISC-V as the preferred architecture for high-performance computing. Tenstorrent and Baya Systems have designed a compute subsystem combining IP from both companies designed to enable AI and HPC use cases. The solution leverages Tenstorrent’s Ascalon processor and Baya’s advanced interconnect tech... » read more

Startup Tips To Get From Seed Funding To Series A, B, C


Startups are often created by experienced engineers who figure out how to solve a technical problem they are dealing with at work, or by PhD candidates in research labs before they have even started their first full-time job. Either way, getting seed money to the tune of a few million dollars is relatively easy compared to securing further rounds of funding and achieving the company’s exit go... » read more

Chip Industry Week In Review


U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer warned Southeast Asian semiconductor manufacturers that they must shift production to the U.S. or face new punitive tariffs, reports the South China Morning Post. President Trump previously floated a 100% tariff on imported chips. Malaysia and other regional economies are offering large concessions and promises of U.S. goods purchases in hopes of securin... » read more

Navigating The Challenges Of Group Design Projects


All over the world, governments and industry have come together to solve large-scale chip design challenges. Groups such as the U.S. Department of Defense’s Microelectronics Hubs (ME Commons), the EU Chips Act pilot lines, and Japan’s government-backed Rapidus consortium often consist of established companies, research institutes, academia, and startups – each of which brings different sk... » read more

Speeding Time To Market With A Future-Proof Fabric


This whitepaper covers how Tenstorrent is elevating their AI fabric to new heights of performance, efficiency, and productivity through a collaboration with Baya Systems. Tenstorrent’s in-house fabric has set a new standard for efficiency and performance in AI compute in their current generation products and is proactively addressing the needs of the next generation. By combining Tenstorrent�... » read more

Chip Industry Week in Review


The U.S. is considering annual approvals for Samsung and SK hynix to export chipmaking tools and materials to their factories in China, replacing perpetual waivers granted under the validated end user system, reports Bloomberg. The proposal, presented by the U.S. Commerce Department to South Korean officials, would require the companies to reapply each year for specific quantities of restricted... » read more

Security Requirements And Penalties Grow For Chipmakers


Governments and systems companies are fundamentally changing the rules around semiconductor security, forcing chipmakers and their suppliers to comply with tough new regulations that require resiliency in hardware. Unlike in the past, chips and systems deployed in these markets must be able to respond to threats rather than waiting for the next version of a chip or IP to address vulnerabilities... » read more

AI’s Value In Chip Design Depends On Data Availability


Experts at the Table: Semiconductor Engineering sat down to discuss the advantages and challenges in using AI in designing chips, with Chuck Alpert, Cadence Fellow; Sathish Balasubramanian, head of product marketing and senior director for custom IC at Siemens EDA; Anand Thiruvengadam, senior director and head of AI product management at Synopsys; Sailesh Kumar, CEO of Baya Systems; Mehir ... » read more

← Older posts Newer posts →