The demand for advanced AI is driving the need for more sophisticated chips, but the chip design process is lengthy and intricate. What if AI could assist with this task? This is the ambition of Ricursive Intelligence.
The startup is pioneering AI technology that can autonomously design chips, learn from each iteration, and refine subsequent designs. This could significantly speed up the creation of the hardware essential for supporting intelligent AI systems.
Currently, chip design can take two to three years. Ricursive aims to shorten this timeframe to just weeks.
At TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, co-founders Anna Goldie and Azalia Mirhoseini will present on the Disrupt Stage with a talk titled “When AI Starts Designing Its Own Hardware.” They will explore the synergy between AI and chip development, the creation of self-optimizing systems, and addressing major hurdles in the advancement of AI technology.
Interested in hearing insights from those reshaping AI hardware design? Today is the final day to save up to $200 on your Disrupt pass. Ensure your ticket is secured by 11:59 p.m. PT, and enjoy a second pass at a 50% discount on selected ticket types.
What occurs when AI creates the chips that power it?
Goldie and Mirhoseini have already demonstrated AI’s potential in chip design. Before Ricursive, they served as co-leaders of AlphaChip at Google, where they developed an AI system capable of generating chip layouts in mere hours, vastly quicker than traditional methods. Their efforts contributed to multiple iterations of Google’s Tensor Processing Units.
Ricursive Intelligence is expanding on this concept, creating AI tools to streamline and enhance the chip design process. Their platform is engineered to learn from varying designs, allowing each experience to inform future projects.
This fosters a powerful feedback loop: AI enhances chip design, resulting in advanced hardware that empowers more sophisticated AI, thereby contributing to the evolution of future technologies.
What could this feedback loop signify for the upcoming generation of AI? Secure your Disrupt pass to gain insights directly from the pioneering founders involved.
From AlphaChip to a $4 billion enterprise
Both Goldie and Mirhoseini played pivotal roles in establishing Google’s ML for Systems team. They have also held key positions at Anthropic and served as senior research scientists at Google DeepMind.
Goldie, the CEO of Ricursive, earned a Ph.D. in computer science from Stanford and was recognized as one of MIT Technology Review’s 35 Innovators Under 35. Mirhoseini, the CTO, is an assistant professor at Stanford and started its Scaling Intelligence Lab.
After launching Ricursive in late 2025, they quickly attracted attention from investors, raising $335 million within four months at a valuation of $4 billion, with significant contributions from Nvidia.
Ricursive aims to automate various stages of the complex chip-design process, from placement of individual components to verification of designs, while concurrently learning from each completed design. Goldie and Mirhoseini believe that accelerating chip design opens possibilities for new architectures and, ultimately, more powerful AI.
Explore the future of AI and hardware development. Register for Disrupt to hear Goldie and Mirhoseini discuss the underlying technology, challenges, and self-improving systems that define Ricursive’s innovative approach.
How quickly can the AI-hardware cycle progress?
While AI models have evolved rapidly, the hardware they rely on follows a slower development trajectory. Ricursive is betting on the power of AI to help close this gap.
At Disrupt, Goldie and Mirhoseini will share their experience as researchers who validated AI’s ability to design functional chips, now transitioning to scaling that concept into a business. For entrepreneurs, investors, and tech executives, this presents an opportunity to understand the critical influence of chip development speed on future AI capabilities.
Their session is part of over 200 discussions across various industry stages, roundtables, and breakout sessions at Disrupt, scheduled for October 13–15 at Moscone West in San Francisco. The event expects participation from more than 10,000 founders, investors, operators, and tech leaders, alongside 250+ speakers and 300+ exhibiting startups. Beyond the agenda, the networking and matchmaking opportunities will facilitate connections with founders, investors, and innovators shaping the tech landscape.
Today marks the final day to save up to $200 on your Disrupt pass. Secure your ticket before midnight PT, and get a second pass for 50% off on select ticket types. Join Goldie and Mirhoseini on the Disrupt Stage and explore what happens when AI begins to assist in creating the hardware that supports it.
