Automation is becoming an essential requirement in the semiconductor industry, which requires the swift design of a complicated chip. AI is enabling a new workflow to be established for chip design, implementation, and verification. Chip design, chip optimization, and even chip implementation are being aided by AI in determining and understanding relationships, patterns, and so on, helping engineers to be more accurate and quickly make their choices, but does this also mean engineers will no longer be needed? AI is expected to reshape the physical design and the engineers working in that field; as opposed to being a threat, it is going to be an aid.
What Is AI Physical Design?
AI physical design means leveraging AI technology to achieve chip implementation. Chip implementation is composed of placement, routing, optimization, timing analysis, power, etc. The traditional flow is that humans check several scenarios and make fine-tuning. However, AI optimizes these stages more effectively.
The Growing Role of Automated Physical Design
Automating physical design can ease the effort that is performed in a repetitive manner and assist the engineer in trying out designs quickly. Physical design automation can improve optimization and efficiency; yet since design requires dealing with many parameters such as speed, power, area, timing, manufacturability, and design constraints, the engineer needs to be able to address each parameter to reach the optimal design.
AI in Semiconductor Design
The evolution of AI in semiconductor design has enabled humans to become co-workers with intelligent technology. Engineers can utilize the predictive optimization and decision-making abilities of AI across all the phases of design. As AI offers engineers those capacities, they can then leverage their time to solve problems, perform validation, and make strategy-based decisions.
How Machine Learning Supports Chip Design
Machine learning chip design flows can learn from past design data, identify usage patterns, and apply them for better decisions in the future. Hence, predicting the result, find the area to optimize, and decrease the design iteration time. Engineers who have fundamentals in semiconductors along with data mining expertise will be of great demand.
EDA Automation and VLSI Automation
EDA automation plays a significant role in today’s semiconductor flow. As tools get smarter and smarter, VLSI automation is no longer limited to merely executing commands repeatedly but moves towards recommending, suggesting optimizations, and predicting analysis results. Engineers would be required to configure the tools, read and evaluate reports, check for errors, make decisions, and take action whenever there is an unexpected result.
Will AI Replace VLSI Engineers?
AI is unlikely to replace VLSI engineers since building silicon chips needs judgment, technical knowledge, ingenuity, and also responsibility. Engineers may be shifted to perform less manual work and focus on directing flows, looking at analysis results, fixing any problems, upgrading the design quality, etc. Continuous learning should be stressed.
Skills for the AI-Driven VLSI Future
For future engineers, it’s necessary to understand both traditional VLSI and the use of VLSI tools, along with knowledge in AI engineering. Deep knowledge of physical design, verification, timing, usage of EDA tools, scripting knowledge, and optimization provides deep insight. Design projects are required for understanding the concept to a level where a chip can actually be manufactured.
Conclusion
Now, due to the introduction of AI-driven physical design, the job function of VLSI engineers is changing; however, automation is not taking engineers’ place but rather assisting engineers in increased productivity and complexity. Takshila VLSI prepares candidates through 100% job-oriented programs and expert-led training using various EDA tools & 24*7 hours Lab. Its unique training system utilizes 70% of course hours towards laboratory work, mini-projects, and project work so as to strengthen their ability. Takshila offers training in VLSI physical design as well as various other VLSI specializations, along with placement opportunities and simulated interviews.
