US government invests $285 million in AI-powered chip development

The U.S. government is allocating $285 million from the $280 billion CHIPS and Science Act to help companies develop "digital twins" for semiconductors. The CHIPS Manufacturing USA Institute will create a regionally diversified network for resource sharing among companies that design and manufacture both physical semiconductors and their digital twins. Digital twins are virtual representations of physical chips that can simulate their behavior to accelerate development and production. The institute will fund research, the establishment of joint facilities, demonstration projects and training in the field of digital twins. The goal is to boost U.S. semiconductor manufacturing through the use of new technologies, such as AI, that can speed up the design and manufacturing process and reduce costs by optimizing production, according to the press release.