Apple is beginning to use generative artificial intelligence to help design chips that run devices. The company’s hardware chief Johnny Slooge revealed it in a speech in Belgium last month. He said Apple is exploring AI as a way to save time and reduce the complexity of chip design, especially as chips become more sophisticated.
“Generating AI technology is likely to allow more design work in less time and can lead to greater productivity,” says Sruji. He spoke while receiving an award from IMEC, a semiconductor research group that works with leading chip makers around the world.
He also mentioned how much Apple relies on third-party software from Electronic Design Automation (EDA) companies. Tools are key to developing company chips. Two EDA companies, Synopsys and Cadence, are both working to add AI to their design tools.
From A4 to Vision Pro: Design Timeline
Srouji’s remarks gave us a rare glimpse into Apple’s internal processes. He began his Apple journey with the A4 chip on the iPhone 4, which was released in 2010. Since then, Apple has built a variety of custom chips, including those used on iPads, Apple Watches and Macs. The company has also developed a chip that runs the Vision Pro headset.
He said that hardware is important, but the real challenge lies in design. Over time, chip designs became more complicated and required tight adjustments between hardware and software. Srouji said AI could make its adjustments faster and more reliable.
Why Apple uses Broadcom on server chips
In late 2024, Apple launched a quiet project with Chip Supplier Broadcom, developing its first AI server chip. The processor, known internally as “Baltra,” is said to be part of Apple’s larger plan to support more AI services on the backend. This includes features tied to Apple Intelligence, a new suite of AI tools for IPHONE, iPad and Mac.
Baltra is expected to bolster Apple’s private cloud infrastructure. Unlike devices that run AI locally, this chip is located on a server that is likely within Apple’s own data center. It helps handle AI workloads that are heavier than too much for chips on the device.
On-Device and Cloud: Splitting Apple’s AI Infrastructure
Apple is trying to balance user privacy with the need for more powerful AI capabilities. Some AI tools run directly on the device. Others use server-based chips like Baltra. The setup is part of what Apple calls “Private Cloud Compute.”
The company says users are not required to sign in and data will be kept anonymous. However, this approach relies on having a solid hardware foundation, both on the device and on the cloud. That’s where chips like Baltra come in. Building its own server chips gives Apple a stronger control over performance, security and integration.
No backup plan: Apple’s hardware strategy patterns
Srouji said Apple is used to taking big hardware risks. When the company moved its Mac lineup from Intel to Apple Silicon in 2020, it didn’t prepare a backup plan.
“Moving the Mac to Apple Silicon was a big bet for us, there were no backup plans or split plans.
The same idea seems to apply to Apple’s AI chips. Srouji said the company is willing to move it all over again, believing that AI tools can make the chip design process faster and more accurate.
EDA companies like Synopsys and Cadence shape roadmap
Apple designs its own chips, but it relies heavily on tools built by other companies. Srouji mentioned the importance of EDA vendors to Apple’s chip efforts. Both Cadence and Synopsys have updated their software to include more AI features.
Synopsys recently introduced a product called Agent Engineer. Use AI agents to help chip designers automate repetitive tasks and manage complex workflows. The idea is to allow human engineers to focus on high-level decisions. This change could allow companies like Apple to speed up chip development.
Cadence is also expanding its AI products. Both companies are competing to meet the needs of high-tech companies that want faster, cheaper ways to design chips.
What’s coming next: Talent, Testing, and Production
Apple needs to bring a new kind of talent as it adds more AI to its chip design. This includes engineers who can work with AI tools and those who understand both hardware and machine learning.
At the same time, chips like Baltra must be tested and manufactured. Apple may continue to rely on partners like TSMC to chip production. However, design work is moving more within the company, and AI plays a bigger role in that shift.
It is still unclear how Apple will integrate these AI-designed chips into their products and services. What’s clear is that the company is trying to increase control over its full stack, hardware, software and now AI-powered infrastructure.
