Imec CEO Luc Van den hove kicked off ITF World 2025 with a strong call for “disruptive innovation over incremental change.” He emphasized the urgency of global collaboration to tackle challenges in compute power, energy efficiency, and chip architecture. “By supercharging our innovation engine, we can secure our future,” he stated.
His words struck a chord with attendees from various sectors. The rapid pace of AI integration—from language models to self-driving cars—intensifies the need for semiconductor research and development. Europe, under pressure to solidify its tech infrastructure, is banking on advanced research and pilot programs as critical resources.
Van den hove pointed out a significant dilemma: AI advances so quickly that traditional chip design often lags behind. By the time an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) is ready, the technology it targets may already be outdated. Even leading models like GPT-4 face diminishing returns despite their soaring computational needs.
To solve this, Imec is pursuing system-technology co-optimization—a tighter synergy between chip design and software. The goal? Create smarter hardware that can adapt to ever-changing AI demands. “It’s not just about producing more chips,” Van den hove clarified. “It’s about integrating algorithms, architectures, and tech platforms.”
Imec is making strides across various sectors. In healthcare, they’re advancing organ-on-chip platforms for AI-driven drug screening. Their microfluidics tech models the human blood-brain barrier, enabling realistic drug delivery testing for conditions like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
In the automotive space, Imec showcased updates to its chiplet-based systems designed to power edge AI in vehicles. Their modular designs process data from lidar, radar, and cameras on compact, high-performance electronic control units. “We’re essentially putting supercomputers in cars,” he said.
On the quantum front, Imec’s focus is on scale. Instead of constructing complete systems, they’re using foundry capabilities to manufacture silicon qubits on 300mm wafers, a crucial step toward practical quantum processors. “This is where our foundry expertise is invaluable,” he added.
To push beyond Moore’s Law, Imec is tackling three connected challenges: compute density, power consumption, and memory bandwidth. Their “CMOS 2.0” approach hinges on vertical scaling—stacking transistors and chiplets in 3D layers for enhanced performance in smaller areas.
However, increased power density sparks thermal issues. Imec is exploring innovative cooling techniques, like direct liquid cooling, and designs that minimize heat accumulation.
Memory architecture is another area of focus. Since a lot of AI energy usage comes from data movement, Imec is looking into ferroelectric and magnetic memories, including vertical memory arrays from its spin-off, Vertical Compute.
Lastly, optical interconnects are in the mix. Imec aims to embed lasers on photonic interposers to significantly boost data transfer rates between chiplets, overcoming a major hurdle for high-performance computing.
Apple’s Johny Srouji, senior vice-president of hardware technologies, was another key voice at ITF World 2025. He shared how Apple addresses AI demands while managing performance and energy efficiency. “Our goal is to deliver at scale, punctually, with uncompromised performance and efficiency,” he noted.
Central to Apple’s strategy is custom silicon. Srouji emphasized that Apple doesn’t approach chip design as a one-size-fits-all; they tailor chips to specific needs. “We design the silicon around the user experience, not the other way around,” he explained. This leads to better hardware-software integration, optimizing everything from power management to machine learning.
This level of customization helps Apple meet ambitious energy efficiency goals. “Every microwatt counts,” he stressed. “To produce billions of devices that operate all day and handle complex AI, we can’t rely on standard solutions.”
He admitted that such integration adds complexity but praised Imec’s role in the process. “Imec provides early access to key technologies and upcoming insights,” Srouji said. This support aids Apple in making informed design choices and minimizes risk in innovation.
Srouji described Imec’s collaborative model as a unique blend of academic depth and practical industry insights, highlighting how Imec’s pilot lines assist Apple in validating cutting-edge technologies. “Without institutions like Imec, our rapid pace would be impossible,” he said.
Imec’s conference also spotlighted Europe’s ambitions in the semiconductor space. The €2.5 billion expansion initiative, backed by the European Chips Act, aims to fortify the region’s position in global semiconductor development, including new R&D centers in Belgium, Spain, and Germany.
“The Chips Act isn’t about trying to do everything; it’s about excelling at what matters most,” Van den hove pointed out. He argued that Europe’s strengths lie in advanced R&D, photonics, and pilot production—areas where Imec is pivotal.
The discussions in Antwerp were less about lofty ideals and more about making critical decisions. For Europe to take the lead in AI, quantum computing, and semiconductor innovation, swift action, smart investments, and cross-border collaboration are essential. “Let’s supercharge our innovation engine and secure our future together,” Van den hove concluded.