# AI PCB Routing Without the Epic Fails: Inside DeepPCB

- Show: [OnTrack](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack)
- Published: 2026-09-16
- Length: 38m
- Episode: 354
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2026-09-16-ai-pcb-routing-without-the-epic-fails-inside-deeppcb
- Listen: https://podcast.altium.com/e/ai-pcb-routing-without-the-epic-fails-inside-deeppcb/

## Summary

Alain-Sam Cohen and Nabil Chouba of InstaDeep’s DeepPCB explain how their reinforcement-learning routing engine, paired with the natural-language orchestrator Cooper, detects design intent like net classes and impedance before routing. They demonstrate how the tool identifies missing context, such as unspecified reference planes and USB impedance mismatches, allowing the AI to flag and fix errors that classic autorouters miss. The guests argue that task-based AI, which focuses on specific optimization problems rather than generating entire designs from vague prompts, is the viable path for hardware automation. They also discuss how DeepPCB integrates with code-based PCB tools by acting as the placement and routing backend for schematic generation.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2026-09-16-ai-pcb-routing-without-the-epic-fails-inside-deeppcb#t=0) Introduction: Alain-Sam Cohen and Nabil Chouba of DeepPCB
- [3:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2026-09-16-ai-pcb-routing-without-the-epic-fails-inside-deeppcb#t=193) InstaDeep’s history and the shift to reinforcement learning for PCB
- [6:39](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2026-09-16-ai-pcb-routing-without-the-epic-fails-inside-deeppcb#t=399) DeepPCB’s two-level AI: Routing engine and Cooper orchestrator
- [10:39](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2026-09-16-ai-pcb-routing-without-the-epic-fails-inside-deeppcb#t=639) Task-based AI vs. one-line prompt hype in hardware design
- [15:54](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2026-09-16-ai-pcb-routing-without-the-epic-fails-inside-deeppcb#t=954) Code-based PCB design and DeepPCB as a routing backend
- [21:43](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2026-09-16-ai-pcb-routing-without-the-epic-fails-inside-deeppcb#t=1303) Preventing epic fails by detecting missing design intent
- [25:23](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2026-09-16-ai-pcb-routing-without-the-epic-fails-inside-deeppcb#t=1523) Live demo: Cooper flagging missing planes and impedance issues
- [32:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2026-09-16-ai-pcb-routing-without-the-epic-fails-inside-deeppcb#t=1930) Roadmap: Improving routing, UI, and supporting complex features

## Topics

- [PCB design & layout](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pcb-design)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Debugging & failure analysis](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/debugging-and-failure-analysis)
- [Embedded firmware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/embedded-firmware)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- DeepPCB (product)
- InstaDeep (company)
- Cooper (product)
- ST Microelectronics (company)
- NXP (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Solving the Hard Problems: Combining AI and Physics for PCB Design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/moores-lobby/2026-06-23-solving-the-hard-problems-combining-ai-and-physics-for-pcb-design) (Moore's Lobby)
- [Intelligent Routing with Sergiy Nesterenko](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2023-04-03-intelligent-routing-with-sergiy-nesterenko) (The Amp Hour)
- [Layout Review with Zachariah Peterson](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2026-03-11-layout-review-with-zachariah-peterson) (The Amp Hour)
- [Can AI Design IoT Hardware? | Flux's Matthias Wagner | Internet of Things Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/iot-for-all-podcast/2026-04-14-can-ai-design-iot-hardware-fluxs-matthias-wagner-internet-of-things-podcast) (IoT For All Podcast)
- [T-25-010 :  Ioannis Papamanoglou and Narayan Powderly - Engineers transforming how we design, test, and build hardware with atopile](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/tradeoffs/2026-01-01-t-25-010-ioannis-papamanoglou-and-narayan-powderly-engineers-transforming-how-we) (TRADEOFFS)

## Citing this page

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