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Apple Explores Using AI to Accelerate Chip Design, Says Executive

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Apple is exploring the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) to speed up the design of its custom chips, a senior hardware technology executive revealed during a recent speech.

Johny Srouji, Apple’s senior vice president of hardware technologies, spoke last month in Belgium while receiving an award from Imec, a semiconductor research and development group that collaborates with leading chipmakers worldwide.

In his speech, Srouji traced Apple’s journey in chip design from the introduction of the first A4 chip in the iPhone back in 2010 to the latest processors powering Mac desktop computers and the Vision Pro headset. He emphasized that using the most advanced design tools is essential to meet the growing complexity of Apple’s chips.

He highlighted the importance of electronic design automation (EDA) software, developed by companies like Cadence Design Systems and Synopsys, which are increasingly integrating AI technologies into their platforms. According to Srouji, generative AI has strong potential to boost productivity by enabling more chip design work in less time.

Srouji also reflected on Apple’s bold strategic decisions, especially the 2020 transition of its Mac computers from Intel processors to its own Apple Silicon chips. The move involved no fallback plans or partial rollouts, reflecting Apple’s commitment to fully owning the chip design and software integration process.

“Moving the Mac to Apple Silicon was a huge bet for us. There was no backup plan, no split-the lineup plan, so we went all in, including a monumental software effort,” Srouji said.

China Postpones Approval of $35 Billion Synopsys-Ansys Merger Amid Rising Trade Tensions

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China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) has delayed its approval of the $35 billion merger between U.S. software companies Synopsys and Ansys, according to a Financial Times report on Friday. The move comes after U.S. President Donald Trump tightened export controls targeting China’s access to advanced semiconductor design software and other sensitive technologies.

The delay underscores the escalating trade tensions between the world’s two largest economies, even as they reached a tentative trade truce during talks in London earlier this week. The current dispute follows China’s previous curbs on mineral exports, prompting the Trump administration to respond with additional restrictions. These include stricter controls on exports of semiconductor design software — a key area of Synopsys’s business — as well as jet engines and various advanced goods destined for China.

The Synopsys-Ansys merger had reached the final stage of the Chinese regulatory process and was widely expected to receive approval by the end of June. However, U.S. actions in late May banning chip design software sales to China added new complications to the review, according to sources cited by the Financial Times.

Neither Synopsys nor Ansys have publicly commented on the reported delay. Reuters, which also attempted to verify the report, said Synopsys declined to comment, while Ansys and Chinese regulators have not responded to inquiries.

The Trump administration’s latest export controls form part of a broader strategy aimed at limiting China’s access to technologies that could enhance its semiconductor manufacturing capabilities and, potentially, its military strength. Washington has also revoked export licenses previously granted to certain suppliers, significantly tightening restrictions on U.S. technology shipments to China.

In a separate development, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) last month required Synopsys and Ansys to divest certain assets to address domestic antitrust concerns related to the merger. Synopsys CEO has previously confirmed that the company has obtained regulatory clearances for the deal in all jurisdictions except China.

The $35 billion merger, if completed, would combine two of the most important players in electronic design automation (EDA) and engineering simulation software — sectors crucial for the development of next-generation semiconductors and complex industrial systems.

Synopsys Resumes Limited Services in China Amid U.S. Export Restrictions, Core Tool Sales Still Blocked

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Synopsys has partially resumed some services in China after suspending operations earlier this month in response to new U.S. export curbs, according to a source with direct knowledge of the situation. The California-based semiconductor design software provider had halted sales and access to its SolvNet customer support portal to comply with broad U.S. restrictions aimed at limiting technology exports to China.

The source revealed that while Synopsys has restarted sales of non-core hardware and intellectual property (IP) to serve some existing Chinese clients, sales of critical Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools remain suspended. These essential EDA tools are necessary to fully utilize the company’s IP and hardware products, such as the HAPS and ZeBu hardware-assisted verification systems, which are primarily used for accelerating chip verification.

SolvNet has reopened with limited access, restricting some software-related documents, further impacting Chinese customers’ ability to use Synopsys’ full range of services.

Synopsys, along with Cadence and Siemens EDA, dominates the global EDA market with over 70% market share in China, according to the Chinese state news agency Xinhua. The ongoing restrictions on EDA tool sales pose a significant challenge to Chinese semiconductor design companies, potentially hindering the country’s chipmaking industry.

Following the U.S. export controls, Synopsys suspended its annual and quarterly revenue forecasts, reflecting uncertainty about future sales prospects in China.

The company did not immediately respond to requests for comment.