A new design approach of hardware implementation through natural language entry

Abstract

OpenAI's ChatGPT (GPT-4) ushers in a superior mode of computer interaction through natural language dialogues. Notably, it generates not only engaging dialogues but also codes aligned to queries and requirements. The potential of ChatGPT in hardware implementation via natural language is implemented and a strategy for “asking the right questions” is outlined. The versatility of ChatGPT is demonstrated through three mainstream hardware designs – systolic array, ResNet and MobileNet accelerators – comparing these with hand-coded designs. The evaluation metrics include design quality, design efforts, and limitations of code generated by ChatGPT/GPT-4/Cursor against prevalent High-Level Synthesis or hand-coded HDL designs. Consequently, a novel design workflow is proposed and the constraints of using GPT, particularly in AI accelerators, are highlighted.