The Value of Custom Silicon in the AI Era - Moor Insights & Strategy Insider Podcast

Generative AI and next-gen applications are transforming the tech landscape, demanding unprecedented levels of innovation. As data grows exponentially, our tech stacks must evolve, from the cloud to data centers and network edges. To unlock the full potential of AI, custom, purpose-built silicon is essential—offering performance, power efficiency, and scalability that traditional solutions simply can’t match.

In an engaging conversation, Will Townsend delves into this transformative topic, exploring the evolution, impact, and future of custom silicon with insights from Marvell Technology’s Sandeep Bharathi, Chief Development Officer, and Will Chu, SVP & GM of Custom Compute and Storage.

💡 Key Highlights:

Why Custom Silicon?
Hyperscalers and enterprises are adopting custom silicon to keep pace with massive workloads. With Moore's Law slowing, custom silicon enables leapfrog performance and power efficiency.

Defining Custom Silicon – Marvell outlines a spectrum:
- Greenfield designs with unique IP
- Optimized chips with enhanced cores
- New device lines supporting diverse customers (e.g., AI accelerators, CXL, NICs).

The Benefits of Custom Silicon
Investment protection, programmability, and unmatched performance per watt are just a few—especially critical for power-hungry AI workloads.

Marvell’s Vision for the Future
Cutting-edge advancements like 3.5D, optical integration, new materials, and multivendor chipsets are paving the way for the next wave of innovation.