Generative AI is currently the hottest topic in the high-tech industry. To meet the massive computational power demands brought by generative AI, our clients are exploring various innovative technologies and design concepts, from chip development to system design, and integrating them into their products. Responding to customer needs and helping them complete more complex designs in a shorter time, incorporating AI/ML techniques into design and simulation tools is an inevitable trend and a direction Ansys is committed to.
On the other hand, the enormous business opportunities contained in generative AI have not only driven world-class semiconductor giants to accelerate their investments, but also led to the emergence of numerous startups. This thriving design activity makes the entire semiconductor industry look vibrant and dynamic.
Empowering Innovation with AI
AI is transforming the world. In the semiconductor industry, AI tools are already widely used in chip design exploration and optimization. For example, AI tools are used in the design and optimization of on-chip and off-chip power delivery networks (PDNs). The addition of AI allows designers to create more advanced and complex chip architectures. With the assistance of AI, designers can explore more design possibilities, find better architectures, and speed up the chip design iteration process through more automation, shortening the time to market.
Ansys recently launched a new AI-based technology called Ansys SimAI, a physics-agnostic, Software as a Service (SaaS) application that combines the predictive accuracy of Ansys simulation and the speed of generative AI. The new solution allows engineers and designers to predict the performance of their design within minutes, democratizing simulation through intuitive interfaces and processes.
The impact of AI on semiconductor design is just beginning. As AI technology continues to advance and become more powerful, we can expect AI to be used in optimizing chip layout, reducing chip size, and increasing density. In chip manufacturing, AI technology will become a crucial tool for improving overall process yields. The emergence of generative AI also alleviates the pressure caused by talent shortages in the semiconductor industry. With the help of large language models (LLMs) and Copilot tools, engineers can make better design decisions, enhancing productivity and efficiency.
The operation of Ansys itself has also undergone significant changes due to the advent of generative AI. One of the main values Ansys brings to its customers is assisting them in achieving more complex and advanced designs. Thus, the Ansys team must provide intensive technical support to help customers solve problems encountered during the design process. Until now, customer support has been highly reliant on manpower, but Ansys believes that virtual assistants based on generative AI technology will be the future direction, as they can provide more immediate responses and support, offering an advantage in speed.
To this end, Ansys has invested considerable resources and recently officially launched AnsysGPT. If users encounter issues while using Ansys tools, they can ask AnsysGPT at any time and receive nearly instantaneous responses. Ansys will continue to invest more resources to further strengthen AnsysGPT, enabling it to answer user questions more accurately.
At the same time, AnsysGPT ensures data security and compliance, since it is trained using new public sources, including product documentation, product and engineering-related training documentation, FAQs, technical marketing materials, and public Ansys Learning Forum discussions. And this is just the beginning. In the future, Ansys will embed virtual assistant features based on generative AI into the products it provides, making the products more intelligent in responding to user needs.
Governments Actively Foster the Semiconductor Industry: AI Chips Gain Momentum
From the perspective of overall industry development, the emergence of generative AI has made the semiconductor industry vibrant and dynamic. To meet the huge computational power demands brought by generative AI, besides GPU companies, many international chip giants are intensively developing new products, trying to get a share of the market. It is also worth mentioning that, against the backdrop of governments worldwide actively fostering their domestic semiconductor industries, many startups have emerged in the AI chip market.
Industry support policies and even government investments are key factors driving the AI chip startup boom. Without government resource injection, startups might take a considerable amount of time to become self-sufficient. On the other hand, performance, power consumption, and cost are the three major factors determining the competitiveness of AI chips, all of which rely on advanced process technologies. While governments strategically support new IC design startups, they are also actively investing in semiconductor manufacturing, especially advanced processes. This dual-track policy approach helps build a robust semiconductor industry ecosystem and makes the AI chip industry more prosperous.
To further share with Taiwan's high-tech industry how generative AI can assist R&D teams in accelerating design exploration and verification, enabling products to reach the market faster, Ansys will host Simulation World 2024 on August 6 at the Sheraton Hsinchu Hotel. This annual user conference will feature not only experts from Ansys but also leading companies such as Delta Electronics, Google, NVIDIA, MediaTek, Realtek, ASE Group, Global Unichip, and Lite-On. These experts will share their firsthand experiences of using generative AI in advanced process technology, advanced packaging, silicon photonics, smart vehicles, and power electronics applications. Let us join hands and participate in this grand event to jointly explore the potential applications of multiphysics simulation and new technologies in the field of R&D design, pushing the boundaries of technology!
2024 Ansys Taiwan Simulation World (event-simulate.com.tw)
Padmesh Mandloi, Regional Vice President, Customer Excellence, APAC Ansys