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).