Apple is exploring the use of generative artificial intelligence to speed up the development of its custom chips, which power the company’s flagship devices, according to senior executive Johny Srouji. The remarks were made last month during a private address in Belgium, where Srouji was honored by Imec, a leading semiconductor R&D organization.
Srouji, who serves as Apple’s Senior Vice President of Hardware Technologies, emphasized the importance of leveraging cutting-edge tools to keep pace with the growing complexity of chip design. He specifically highlighted the evolving role of electronic design automation (EDA) software, which industry leaders like Cadence Design Systems and Synopsys are rapidly enhancing with AI capabilities.
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“EDA companies are super critical in supporting our chip design complexities,” Srouji noted. “Generative AI techniques have a high potential in getting more design work in less time, and it can be a huge productivity boost.”
Reflecting on Apple’s bold strategic decisions, Srouji cited the company’s 2020 shift from Intel chips to its own Apple Silicon for Mac computers. He revealed that the transition was a full commitment without fallback plans, illustrating Apple’s confidence in its internal design capabilities and software ecosystem.
“Moving the Mac to Apple Silicon was a huge bet for us. There was no backup plan, no split-the-line-up plan, so we went all in,” Srouji said.
