GENERATIVE AI-ENABLED VLSI DESIGN: TRANSFORMING THE FUTURE OF CHIP DEVELOPMENT

The semiconductor industry stands at the cusp of a transformative era—one defined not just by shrinking transistors or faster processing speeds, but by intelligence embedded at the heart of design itself. As we venture deeper into the age of digital innovation, Generative AI-Enabled VLSI Design: Transforming the Future of Chip Development explores a pivotal shift in how we conceptualize, create, and optimize integrated circuits.

Historically, VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration) design has been driven by human ingenuity and iterative engineering. From the painstaking manual layout methods of early chip design to the introduction of Computer-Aided Design (CAD) tools, the industry has evolved alongside technological progress.

Yet, traditional rule-based systems are increasingly strained under the complexity of modern hardware demands. Enter Artificial Intelligence—and more specifically, Generative AI. Generative AI represents a leap beyond conventional automation. It doesn’t just streamline existing processes; it reimagines them. This book delves into how AI models—ranging from neural networks to reinforcement learning agents—are revolutionizing every stage of chip development, from circuit and layout design to verification, simulation, and even semiconductor manufacturing.

It presents AI not as a supporting actor, but as a core creative force capable of generating architectures, optimizing trade-offs, and learning from vast design spaces in real time. Across five comprehensive sections, we examine the past, present,
and future of VLSI design through the lens of AI. We begin with a foundational understanding of how AI became intertwined with semiconductor engineering and move toward its cutting-edge applications—from AI-driven schematic design to AI-optimized lithography, from edge AI hardware to ethical frameworks for AI-
generated intellectual property. Through real-world case studies and global perspectives, this book also highlights how countries like India are embracing AI to leapfrog in chip innovation.

This work is intended for engineers, researchers, students, and decision-makers who are curious about the profound changes shaping semiconductor technology. It is a roadmap for those eager to stay ahead of the curve, offering both a technical grounding and a forward-looking vision of AI’s role in VLSI. As we open this new chapter in chip development, one thing is certain: the future of semiconductors will not only be smaller, faster, and more efficient—it will be smarter.