Keysight Technologies has unveiled AI-powered virtual assistants for its Advanced Design System software, promising to accelerate electronic design workflows while keeping customer data on-premises.
The US test and measurement group said the new Chat and Copilot assistants add natural language capabilities to its electronic design automation tools, allowing engineers to query software functions, automate routine tasks, and streamline complex simulation workflows without compromising security.
Electronic design teams are under increasing pressure as products become more complex and development cycles shorten. Multi-domain design requirements, fragmented data, and shortages of specialist engineers have made productivity gains harder to achieve, while concerns over data security have slowed adoption of cloud-based AI tools.
Keysight said its approach addresses these constraints by deploying AI assistants locally, ensuring that sensitive design data does not leave the organisation. The assistants are trained on Keysight’s own electronic design expertise and can be configured individually for different environments and use cases.
The company has introduced two tools. The Learning Assistant, branded as Chat, provides conversational guidance on how to use Keysight’s Advanced Design System and related applications. The Tool Assistant, known as Copilot, can execute commands directly within the SIPro and RFPro electromagnetic simulation environments, automating repetitive actions and reducing manual steps.
According to Keysight, the assistants are designed to reduce the time required for new users to become productive and to shorten overall design cycles. By enabling engineers to interact with complex tools through natural language, the company aims to simplify workflows that would otherwise require navigating multiple menus and settings.
Security and deployment flexibility are central to the offering. Keysight said the AI capabilities can be installed as a separate add-on to its core software, giving IT teams control over configuration and access. Supported deployments include Kubernetes and Red Hat OpenShift running on commercially available GPU hardware.
Nilesh Kamdar, Design and Verification Business Unit Lead of Keysight EDA, said the semiconductor industry faced a tension between adopting AI and protecting intellectual property. “By deploying AI-enabled EDA tools on-premises, we eliminate that barrier, enabling design teams to safely explore how AI agents can enhance their workflows and amplify the value of their existing tools,” he said.
The AI Learning Assistants are available immediately with Advanced Design System 2026 Update 1. Additional Copilot functionality is being offered through an early access programme.
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