From Classical Algorithms to AI: Evolving Trends in VLSI Physical Design Automation

Physical design is a fundamental stage in electronic design automation (EDA). Over the past two decades, significant progress has been made in core algorithms and methodologies in physical design to address the growing complexity of designs and the demands of advanced integrated circuit (IC) technologies. More recently, the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) and GPU-accelerated computing has begun to transform the landscape of physical design, paving the way for new opportunities and innovations. This paper reviews some key developments in Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) physical design automation and discusses future research directions.