Beyond PPA: How Foundation IP Enables Predictable Execution and Lower TCO for AI-Era SoCs

EE Times Current · 7 Oct 2026 · 24m

What this episode covers

Ravi Todi, Executive Director of Product Management at Synopsys, explains that competitive power, performance, and area (PPA) are no longer sufficient for AI-era SoCs, as design complexity and execution risk at advanced nodes require a focus on predictable execution and total cost of ownership (TCO). He details how Synopsys' Foundation IP platform—integrating embedded memory, logic libraries, and I/O—reduces integration risks and avoids expensive re-spins, which can cost $20–$40 million in mask sets and delay tape-outs by 6–9 months. Todi highlights that this holistic approach enables first-pass silicon success, cross-foundry portability, and optimized PPA for both high-performance compute (HPC) and edge AI (HAI) designs, shifting the buying decision from lowest IP license price to lowest total cost of silicon on time.

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