AI Chip Design Advances: Synopsys & Samsung's 2025 Breakthrough
In the fiercely competitive world of semiconductor innovation, where every nanometer counts and design cycles can make or break market leadership, two industry giants—Synopsys and Samsung—are doubling down on their collaboration to push the boundaries of AI and high-performance computing (HPC) chip design. As of June 2025, their partnership has reached new heights, leveraging AI-driven methodologies and cutting-edge multi-die technologies on Samsung’s most advanced sub-2nm foundry nodes. This expanded collaboration not only accelerates chip design cycles but also sets new standards for power efficiency, performance, and integration complexity in AI and HPC processors.
The Stakes Are High: Why AI and HPC Chips Matter More Than Ever
Let’s face it: AI and HPC are the engines driving the next wave of global technological transformation. From data centers crunching massive neural networks to edge devices like smart cameras and drones performing real-time inference, the demand for chips that deliver blazing fast computation with minimal power consumption is skyrocketing. According to industry analysts, AI chip market revenues are projected to surpass $120 billion by 2028, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) exceeding 30%[1]. Samsung, as a leading foundry with advanced process nodes, and Synopsys, the EDA (Electronic Design Automation) and IP powerhouse, stand at the heart of this revolution.
Synopsys and Samsung: A Collaborative Powerhouse
This is not just another semiconductor partnership. Synopsys and Samsung have been working closely for years, but their collaboration has deepened significantly in 2025 with a focus on optimizing power, performance, and area (PPA) — the holy trinity of chip design metrics. The partnership now fully supports Samsung’s SF2 and SF2P process technologies, which represent some of the world’s most advanced sub-2nm manufacturing nodes.
Hyung-Ock Kim, Vice President and Head of Foundry Design Technology at Samsung Electronics, emphasizes the synergy: “With Synopsys’ AI-driven design flows certified for Samsung’s latest process technologies, customers can seamlessly integrate these solutions into their workflows, reducing design risks and accelerating time to market. Our joint innovation in multi-die solutions, including 2.5D automated routing via Synopsys’ 3DIC Compiler and Samsung’s I-CubeS™ technology, is breaking new ground in chip design complexity.”[2]
Breakthroughs in Multi-Die and AI-Driven Design
One of the standout achievements of this collaboration is the successful tape-out of a high-bandwidth memory (HBM3) chip leveraging Synopsys’ 3DIC Compiler and Samsung’s I-CubeS™ multi-die integration technology. This design milestone resulted in a 10X reduction in turnaround time and a 6% improvement in signal integrity, measured by eye-opening metrics that are critical for high-speed memory interfaces[3]. This is no small feat—it means designs that once took months can be completed in weeks, with better performance and reliability.
Moreover, Synopsys’ AI-powered design platform has been certified for Samsung’s SF2P node. This certification allows chip designers to harness AI algorithms to optimize layout, timing, and power consumption automatically. John Koeter, Senior Vice President at Synopsys, highlights the significance: “The adoption of Edge AI applications demands semiconductor technologies that can perform complex computations efficiently. Our collaboration with Samsung enables the development of advanced AI processors ranging from data center inference engines to ultra-efficient edge devices like cameras and drones, all optimized for Samsung’s sub-2nm processes.”[2]
Expanding IP Portfolio for Next-Gen Interfaces
Beyond design tools, Synopsys is expanding its silicon-proven IP portfolio tailored for Samsung’s advanced nodes. Critical next-generation interfaces such as 224G Ethernet, UCIe (Universal Chiplet Interconnect Express), MIPI (Mobile Industry Processor Interface), and LPDDR6 memory controllers are now available. These IP blocks are essential for the high-bandwidth, low-latency communications required in AI and HPC chips, enabling smooth chip-to-chip and memory interconnections that scale with the increasing complexity of AI workloads[3].
Historical Context: From Manual to Autonomous Chip Design
This collaboration builds on a foundation laid nearly half a decade ago, when Synopsys first introduced AI-driven autonomous design tools that Samsung adopted for their advanced mobile SoCs. Back in 2021, Synopsys’ AI-based design system helped Samsung complete a state-of-the-art, high-performance chip design on one of its most advanced nodes, marking a pivotal moment for autonomous chip design[5]. Fast forward to 2025, and this AI-driven approach is now a cornerstone for developing chips across Samsung’s product spectrum—from mobile to HPC to automotive.
The Future: What This Means for AI and HPC Chip Innovation
Looking ahead, this collaboration signals a future where chip design cycles will be dramatically shorter, and design complexity will be handled with greater precision thanks to AI assistance. The use of multi-die integration and chiplet-based architectures, supported by Synopsys’ 3DIC Compiler and Samsung’s I-CubeS™, is expected to become the norm for scaling transistor counts without the prohibitive costs of monolithic dies.
This is especially critical as AI models grow ever larger and more computationally demanding. Efficiently connecting multiple chiplets with high-bandwidth interfaces like UCIe and 224G Ethernet will be key to unlocking new levels of AI performance. Furthermore, edge AI devices, which require ultra-low power and compact form factors, will benefit from this synergy, enabling smarter cameras, drones, and IoT devices that can operate independently from cloud servers.
Industry Perspectives and Market Impact
Industry experts view this expanded partnership as a strategic masterstroke. “The semiconductor industry is at a crossroads where traditional scaling is hitting physical and economic limits,” notes Dr. Lisa Chen, an AI hardware analyst at TechInsights. “Innovations in AI-driven design automation and multi-die integration are crucial for maintaining performance growth. Synopsys and Samsung’s collaboration puts them in a prime position to lead this transition.”
From a market standpoint, Synopsys’ expanding IP portfolio and certified design flows on Samsung’s advanced nodes mean that chip makers can confidently adopt these technologies, accelerating the time to market for next-generation AI and HPC processors. This will likely boost Samsung Foundry’s competitiveness against rivals like TSMC and Intel Foundry Services.
In Summary: A Partnership Shaping the AI Chip Frontier
Synopsys and Samsung are not just expanding a partnership; they’re shaping the future of AI and HPC chip design. By combining AI-driven design automation with multi-die integration technologies and a robust IP ecosystem, they are enabling chipmakers to meet the insatiable demand for smarter, faster, and more energy-efficient processors. This collaboration is a vivid example of how innovation ecosystems—spanning foundry technologies, EDA tools, and IP solutions—must evolve in concert to keep pace with the AI revolution.
As someone who’s tracked AI hardware evolution for years, watching Synopsys and Samsung break new ground makes me confident that the chip design bottleneck is loosening. The next few years will be exciting as these technologies translate into real-world products powering everything from hyperscale data centers to intelligent edge devices.
**