# Trust at Scale: The Next Challenge for AI-Driven Semiconductor Development

- Show: [EE Times Current](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current)
- Published: 2026-08-26
- Length: 24m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2026-08-26-trust-at-scale-the-next-challenge-for-ai-driven-semiconductor-development
- Listen: https://podcast.show/aspencore/episode/155044651/

## Summary

Dr. Jim Shiely, Chief of Staff for Calibre Semiconductor R&D at Siemens EDA, discusses the 'trust bottleneck' emerging in semiconductor development as AI becomes embedded in engineering workflows. He explains that while AI accelerates tasks, it creates an overflow of data that requires 'trustworthy engineering intelligence'—grounded in independent verification tools like Calibre and physics-based models—to prevent hallucinations and ensure decision confidence. Shiely argues that successful companies will use digital twins and agentic flows to provide structured, traceable intelligence rather than just raw data, enabling humans to make rapid, confident decisions in a high-pressure environment.

## Chapters

- [0:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2026-08-26-trust-at-scale-the-next-challenge-for-ai-driven-semiconductor-development#t=3) Introduction: Dr. Jim Shiely and the Trust Bottleneck
- [1:35](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2026-08-26-trust-at-scale-the-next-challenge-for-ai-driven-semiconductor-development#t=95) The Shifting Nature of Engineering Bottlenecks
- [3:26](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2026-08-26-trust-at-scale-the-next-challenge-for-ai-driven-semiconductor-development#t=206) Moore's Law, the Singularity, and Industry Feedback Loops
- [7:16](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2026-08-26-trust-at-scale-the-next-challenge-for-ai-driven-semiconductor-development#t=436) Defining the Trust Bottleneck in Agentic AI
- [12:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2026-08-26-trust-at-scale-the-next-challenge-for-ai-driven-semiconductor-development#t=734) Calibre’s Role: Independent Verification and Legacy Trust
- [16:57](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2026-08-26-trust-at-scale-the-next-challenge-for-ai-driven-semiconductor-development#t=1017) Digital Twins and Structured Data for AI Agents
- [19:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2026-08-26-trust-at-scale-the-next-challenge-for-ai-driven-semiconductor-development#t=1160) Future Outlook: Informing Decision Makers vs. Data Overflow

## Topics

- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Chips, FPGAs & semiconductors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/chips-and-fpgas)
- [Debugging & failure analysis](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/debugging-and-failure-analysis)
- [EDA & CAD tools](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/eda-and-cad-tools)

## Most relevant to

large enterprises

## Mentioned

- Calibre (product)
- Google (company)
- SPIE (company)
- TCAD (tool)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [S3 E5: AI in Hardware: The Future of Design, Manufacturing, and Innovation with Kristen Edwards](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-builder-circle/2025-11-25-s3-e5-ai-in-hardware-the-future-of-design-manufacturing-and-innovation-with-kris) (The Builder Circle)
- [Context, Tools, and Trust:Missing Ingredients in Many AI Strategies, with Luminovo's Timon Ruban](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2025-04-30-context-tools-and-trust-missing-ingredients-in-many-ai-strategies-with-luminovos) (EMS@C-LEVEL)
- [Inside Simberian's AI-Driven Design Automation](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-12-09-inside-simberians-ai-driven-design-automation) (OnTrack)
- [Is AI an Engineering Teammate in Hardware Design?](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2026-01-08-is-ai-an-engineering-teammate-in-hardware-design) (OnTrack)
- [The peril (and promise) of AI with Tristan Harris: Part 2](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-02-29-the-peril-and-promise-of-ai-with-tristan-harris-part-2) (How I Built This)

## Citing this page

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