In this episode of the Stratechery podcast, host Ben Thompson interviews Sassine Ghazi, the CEO of Synopsys, about the changing landscape of chip design and Synopsys’ pivotal role in it. Ghazi shares how the company has evolved from manually designed chips to advanced AI-driven software solutions. He explains Synopsys’ shift from primarily offering Electronic Design Automation (EDA) software to integrating IP blocks and comprehensive system-level design, highlighted by their acquisition of Ansys. The discussion underscores the growing complexity of chips, which demands closer collaboration among EDA providers, semiconductor manufacturers, and foundries like TSMC. This collaboration is driving forward innovations like AI-assisted design and verification. Ultimately, the conversation reveals how vital EDA software has become in the fast-paced semiconductor industry.
