Apple is turning to generative AI to design its custom chips—marking a significant move that blends cutting-edge machine learning with one of the most secretive hardware design operations in the world.
Speaking at a semiconductor conference in Belgium, Johny Srouji, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Hardware Technologies, confirmed that the company is now working with electronic design automation (EDA) giants like Cadence and Synopsys to explore how AI can accelerate chip development. According to Srouji:
“Generative AI techniques have high potential in getting more design work done in less time. It can be a huge productivity boost.”
Apple has a history of going all-in on custom silicon. From the launch of its first chip, the A4, in 2010 to the 2020 rollout of the M-series chips and full shift to Apple Silicon in Macs and Vision Pro, the company has repeatedly shown its willingness to control the entire tech stack—hardware included.
Now, it’s doing the same with AI.
Our Take: What This Means for the Future of Hardware
This isn’t just another flashy AI announcement. This is Apple signalling that AI isn’t just for apps or creative tools—it’s now shaping the foundational hardware behind your phone, laptop, and even future AR/VR devices.
Using AI in chip design could:
Speed up R&D cycles dramatically
Optimise performance and energy use far beyond human-led design
Tighten integration between software and hardware even further
It also positions Apple to stay well ahead of competitors who rely on off-the-shelf components. If successful, this could mark a new era where machine-generated chips become the norm across the industry.
We’ll be watching this space closely.
Source: Reuters, 19 June 2025Original article by Stephen Nellis, available at:https://www.reuters.com/business/apple-eyes-using-ai-design-its-chips-technology-executive-says-2025-06-18
