Cadence Design Systems on Tuesday launched ChipStack AI Super Agent, a virtual tool designed to accelerate the design of complex semiconductor chips. The agent analyzes a chip’s design, builds a “mental model” of its intended function, and uses Cadence tools to test and debug circuits.
Chip design is highly labor-intensive, with engineering teams spending up to 70% of their time writing and verifying code. Cadence said ChipStack can speed certain tasks by up to ten times, reducing development time for high-transistor-count chips used in AI and other advanced applications. Early adopters include Nvidia, Altera, and chip startup Tenstorrent.
Paul Cunningham, Cadence vice president of R&D, described the company’s shift from licensing tools to providing virtual engineering support. Analysts note that AI productivity tools like ChipStack are critical for U.S. competitiveness in semiconductor design, particularly as Chinese firms invest in AI-driven chip design amid export restrictions on advanced tools. Such technologies could become a key factor in the global technology race between the U.S. and China.
The launch follows other chip-focused developments in the sector, including Cisco’s release of its Silicon One G300 switch chip and router to improve AI data center efficiency and compete with Broadcom and Nvidia solutions.
