Capability 1.2.2.1

Designing Accelerators (Fabless)

Definition

Designing accelerator architectures using Electronic Design Automation (EDA) software. 'Fabless' means a company that designs accelerators but contracts out the fabrication (rather than owning and operating the manufacturing themselves).

Examples

Design firms developing AI accelerators, such as NVIDIA, d-Matrix, Broadcom, AMD.

Indicators

Number of local design teams
Number of AI-related patents held
R&D investment
Service agreements for offshore fabrication and packaging

National AI Plan

PLAN COMMITMENT

No commitment

No reference in the plan. No national coordination of this capability by government in the plan represents a strategic missed opportunity to build highly targeted agency, given national emerging maturity and global scarcity. Future plans would benefit from recognising the role of this capability in the ecosystem.

Stocktake

Australian Semiconductor Sector Study: Capabilities, opportunities and challenges for increasing NSW's participation in the global semiconductor value chain. University of Sydney Nano Institute for the NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer. December 2020. https://www.chiefscientist.nsw.gov.au/data/assets/pdf_file/0011/1415/Australian-Semiconductor-Sector-Study.pdf
Australia's semiconductor manufacturing moonshot. Capri and Clark. 21 September 2022. Australian Strategic Policy Institute. https://www.aspi.org.au/report/australias-semiconductor-national-moonshot/

Is the Stocktake missing evidence?

Share additional information for potential future Assessments