Technology

According to Johny Srouji, Apple’s senior vice president of hardware technologies, the company is exploring the use of generative artificial intelligence to expedite the design of its custom chips. Srouji shared these insights during a speech in Belgium, where he was honored with an award from Imec, a prominent semiconductor research organization.

He emphasized that Apple has progressively developed its chips from the first A4 model in 2010 to the latest chips powering Mac computers and the Vision Pro headset. A crucial lesson has been the importance of employing the most advanced design tools, including those from leading electronic design automation (EDA) firms such as Cadence and Synopsys.

Srouji noted, ‘EDA companies are super critical in supporting our chip design complexities. Generative AI techniques have a high potential in getting more design work done in less time, which can significantly boost productivity.’

The executive highlighted that Apple’s approach to chip design involves taking bold steps and making substantial bets, such as the transition of Macs from Intel processors to Apple Silicon in 2020, which was made without a backup plan, underscoring the company’s commitment to innovation and long-term vision.