Will the QiMeng System Save China?

Will the QiMeng System Save China?

 US Sanctions Push China to Use AI to Design Processors

China has unveiled an AI system called QiMeng, used to accelerate the development of chip designs. Large Language Models (LLMs) are used to design entire CPUs, and this process has so far helped China develop two processors:

- QiMeng-CPU-v1, similar to the Intel 486, and QiMeng-CPU-v2, said to compete with the Arm Cortex A53 used in mid-to-low-end devices. - The Intel 486 processor dates back to 1989, although the second version, if it matches the Cortex A53 in performance, would represent a 23-year improvement, as the Cortex-A53 dates back to 2012, according to a report published by phonearena. 

The project, run by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), is supposed to be able to use artificial intelligence to help design a processor that matches a newer processor. What QiMeng can reportedly accomplish in days are tasks that would take human teams weeks to complete. For example, it might take a human team weeks to manufacture a chip designed for a self-driving car. QiMeng can accomplish the same task in a few days.

Two leading chip designers in the electronic design automation (EDA) industry, Cadence and Synopsys, have used AI in critical steps of chip design and verification. Synopsys goes far beyond CAS algorithms. Synopsys.ai has helped design more than 200 labeled chips. Once a labeled chip is designed, it is sent to a foundry for manufacturing.

LLMs represent the technology used in AI chatbots, and QiMeng has arrived at an opportune time for China. QiMeng's rise in China comes at a crucial time, as the United States pressures leading EDA companies to move away from China.

The country is striving to achieve independence in its semiconductor industry. However, new export controls have been imposed on products from EDA software vendors in China, including Cadence Design Systems, Synopsys, and Siemens EDA. These three companies account for 82% of the country's EDA revenue.

While QiMeng's development was aimed at reducing costs, speeding up development cycles, and increasing efficiency compared to manual chip design methods, QiMeng v3 will be key.

The next version of QiMeng will demonstrate the AI ​​system's ability to design a more advanced processor, helping the Chinese semiconductor industry offset US sanctions that will prevent leading American EDA companies from doing business in the country. Synopsys, Cadence, and Siemens EDA now require licenses from the US Department of Commerce to conduct any business in China.