Connecting Future IC and EDA experts at the POEMS Summer School

The POEMS Summer School on Artificial Intelligence for Integrated Circuits and Integrated Circuits for Artificial Intelligence was held at Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, from 22 to 25 June 2026. The event brought together 44 participants, mostly master’s students, for an intensive programme dedicated to the future of IC design.

The summer school explored the growing convergence between artificial intelligence, Electronic Design Automation (EDA) and IC design. Sessions covered AI for analogue and digital design, machine learning for EDA, hardware accelerators for AI, neuromorphic computing, in-memory computing and emerging semiconductor architectures.

Participants attended lectures, tutorials and panel discussions led by nine invited speakers from academia and industry. This format gave students the opportunity to engage directly with leading experts, discuss emerging research challenges and gain insight into the tools and methodologies shaping the next generation of intelligent electronic systems.

Together, these elements reinforced the importance of multidisciplinary training in semiconductors, particularly at a time when AI is transforming the way ICs are designed and advanced technologies are becoming essential to sustain the rapid evolution of AI systems.

The strong participation of master’s students highlights the growing interest of young engineers in semiconductor technologies and underscores the strategic role of these technologies in Europe’s technological sovereignty.