OpenAI, Synopsys Announce GPT-Synopsys for AI Chip Design

Semiconductor design software giant Synopsys has announced a partnership with OpenAI. 

The companies have entered into a multi-year agreement to develop GPT-Synopsys, built to use Synopsys’ EDA tools to perform chip design and verification

This also includes a revenue-sharing agreement, along with efforts to make the model available to customers worldwide. 

“We're bringing frontier intelligence to chip design to help more companies develop and accelerate advanced silicon, while maintaining the rigour and trust required for manufacturing success,” said Sassine Ghazi, President and CEO of Synopsys. 

The company said that GPT-Synopsys will directly operate Synopsys’ tools, while engineers will specify design objectives. Agents will run the tools, interpret results, implement changes, and iterate towards verified outcomes for engineering reviews. 

The model is said to run on OpenAI’s infrastructure. 

It will also be integrated with Synopsys’ existing AI platforms—Synopsys.ai and Synopsys Autopilot. 

Released only a few days ago, Autopilot is Synopsys’ platform for orchestrating autonomous engineering workflows. It gives agents access to engineering context, tools, memory, and governance, allowing them to plan and execute multi-step tasks rather than simply assist engineers with individual actions. 

Synopsys said the platform is currently in more than 50 customer engagements, with general availability planned for late 2026.

Synopsys.ai, launched in 2023, is the company’s broader portfolio of AI-powered semiconductor design tools, using AI across workflows such as chip design, verification, testing, and optimisation.

For OpenAI, this marks another milestone in using AI to design chips. In June, the company unveiled Jalapeño, its first custom AI accelerator, developed with Broadcom. The chip went from initial design to manufacturing tape-out in just nine months. OpenAI said its models accelerated parts of the design and optimisation process. 

“We're using our most advanced technology to improve the systems that power AI,” said Greg Brockman, President and Co-Founder of OpenAI. “With Synopsys, we're bringing that work to chip design, helping engineers explore more designs and get to a working chip faster. By helping them build better chips, we can build better AI and bring it to more people.”