OpenAI and Synopsys signed a multi-year agreement to develop GPT-Synopsys, a specialized AI model meant to operate the software engineers use to design chips, not just advise them. Early engagements with semiconductor customers are underway, but the announcement gives no general release date, price or performance results.
The intended workflow: an engineer sets a goal, such as improving a chip’s power consumption, performance or size. Agents run Synopsys tools, interpret results, change the design and repeat, before returning outcomes for engineer review. The companies’ proposed advance over connecting a general-purpose model to these tools is training the model to become an expert user of them.
OpenAI will license Synopsys’ electronic design automation tools for development. Both companies will share revenue and jointly market the service, bundling compute, the model and tool licenses. Financial terms weren’t disclosed.
The service will run on OpenAI-hosted infrastructure and integrate with Synopsys’ AI products, including its Autopilot platform. The companies say customer data will not train the model and promise encryption and configurable retention and access controls.
