Thought Leadership

Generative AI: The Hype, The Hope, The Hard Truths — And the Debate at DAC

The semiconductor industry is no stranger to bold claims. But few topics today spark more debate — or more genuine uncertainty — than generative AI. At DAC 2025, we’re bringing this debate directly to the Pavilion stage with a dynamic panel:

Event Details

  • Panel Title: Generative AI in Design & Verification: Are We Hallucinating or Innovating?
  • Date: Monday, June 23
  • Time: 2:00pm – 2:45pm PDT
  • Location: DAC Pavilion, Level 2 Exhibit Hall

The Promise, the Pitfalls… and a Bit of Hype?

Generative AI is racing into design and verification with bold promises: faster flows, automated grunt work, fresh design options, and optimizations that even the best engineers might overlook. The idea of cutting time-to-market, lowering costs, and taming growing complexity has everyone from startups to silicon giants taking notice.

But is this true innovation — or just another AI-fueled sugar rush?

On one side, the optimists point to early wins: accelerated design closure, smarter verification, and new ways to explore vast design spaces. On the other, the skeptics remind us that big challenges remain — from black-box models and explainability issues to trust concerns and a skills gap that may get wider before it narrows.

Meet the Panel

We’ve assembled leading voices from across the design ecosystem to explore both sides of the debate:

Moderator:

  • Brian Bailey, Semiconductor Engineering

Panelists:

  • Alon Shtepel, Sr Director of ASIC Verification, Micron
  • Abhi Kolpekwar, VP & GM Digital Verification Technology, Siemens EDA

Why You Should Attend

If you’re tired of oversimplified AI marketing pitches and want a serious conversation about where generative AI really stands today — and where it’s realistically headed — this is the Pavilion Panel for you.

Expect sharp insights, challenging questions, and a candid exploration of how GenAI may — or may not — reshape the future of semiconductor design and verification.

Join us Monday, June 23 at 2:00pm in the DAC Pavilion (Level 2 Exhibit Hall).

Harry Foster
Chief Scientist Verification

Harry Foster is Chief Scientist Verification for Siemens Digital Industries Software; and is the Co-Founder and Executive Editor for the Verification Academy. Harry served as the 2021 Design Automation Conference General Chair, and is currently serving as a Past Chair. Harry is the recipient of the Accellera Technical Excellence Award for his contributions to developing industry standards. In addition, Harry is the recipient of the 2022 ACM Distinguished Service Award, and the 2022 IEEE CEDA Outstanding Service Award.

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This article first appeared on the Siemens Digital Industries Software blog at https://blogs.sw.siemens.com/verificationhorizons/2025/06/17/generative-ai-the-hype-the-hope-the-hard-truths-and-the-debate-at-dac/