S4 EP1 - Are AI Agents and Foundation Models About to Rewrite CAE?

In this episode, Neil explores how agents, foundation models, and AI are set to transform the Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE) and Electronic Design Automation (EDA) landscapes. He shares a comprehensive historical perspective and predicts a near-future where AI-driven automation redefines engineering workflows, productivity, and innovation. Main Topics: The evolution of simulation codes from the 1960s to modern commercial software The rise of cloud computing, GPUs, and their impact on CAE and EDA industries The integration of AI, surrogate modeling, and foundation models into simulation workflows The emergence of agentic AI systems capable of autonomously performing complex engineering tasks The strategic responses of major software companies to AI and agent technologies The potential democratization and automation of engineering design through AI agents Critical questions on model ownership, transparency, and industry adoption Timestamps: 00:00 - Podcast intro 00:40 - Introduction: How agents and foundation models will disrupt CAE & EDA 01:40 - Historical overview: From code writing in the 60s to commercial software 03:10 - Growth of aerospace and automotive industry codes and commercialization 04:40 - The impact of HPC, cloud computing, and hardware evolution 06:25 - Rise of cloud SaaS models and "sassification" of simulation tools 07:40 - Big tech entrance: AWS, Microsoft, and Google in CAE & EDA 09:00 - GPU acceleration: Changed landscape in past three to four years 09:10 - The role of AI startups offering surrogate models and real-time simulation 10:40 - Industry consolidation: Mergers and acquisitions among software giants 11:40 - The emergence of foundation models and surrogate systems in simulation 13:00 - The significance of agents: Combining AI, models, and automation 14:10 - Capabilities of autonomous AI agents in complex engineering workflows 15:25 - Practical use cases: Running simulations, setting up experiments, and data analysis 16:10 - Questions about model ownership, open-source codes, and licensing 16:40 - How agent-driven automation could democratize engineering expertise 19:40 - The future of AI in engineering: Collaboration, transparency, and scientific rigor 21:25 - Final thoughts: Opportunities, challenges, and the transformative potential of AI Please note that this episode expresses my personal opinion and does not represent the views of NVIDIA. Full episode, corrected transcript and resources: https://neilashton.co.uk/podcasts/s4-e1-are-ai-agents-and-foundation-models-about-to-rewrite-cae/