2026 Siemens EDA and Wilson Research Group Functional Verification Study
The 2026 Siemens EDA and Wilson Research Group Functional Verification Study examines how today’s increasingly software-driven and interconnected designs are reshaping functional verification.
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Sessions
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2026 Functional Verification Study: Executive Findings
This video explores the key findings from the 2026 Functional Verification Study: Executive Findings white paper, which depicts an industry where processor-rich and accelerator-class designs, software-driven functionality, safety and security requirements, and increasingly complex system interactions are reshaping the nature of functional verification.
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Five Signals from the 2026 Functional Verification Study
This video explores the key findings of the Five Signals from the 2026 Functional Verification Study white paper, which suggests that the IC verification challenge is undergoing a fundamental transformation. The data shows that verification is no longer simply becoming more complex.
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DFT's Expanding Role in Software-Driven Silicon
This video explores the key findings from the DFT's Expanding Role in Software-Driven Silicon white paper, which provides a snapshot of current industry practices rather than a longitudinal trend analysis. While many of the individual techniques and workflows highlighted in the study are well established, the results quantify their adoption within a common industry framework and reveal how they are increasingly converging.
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AI in Functional Verification: What the 2026 Industry Data Reveals
This video explores the key findings from the AI in Functional Verification: What the 2026 Industry Data Reveals white paper. For the first time, the 2026 Siemens EDA and Wilson Research Group Functional Verification Study provides industry data on AI/ML adoption in functional verification. Among 604 participants, 82.8% report use beyond evaluation or pilot projects, yet only 9.0% describe AI as broadly integrated across the verification flow.
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New Industry Data Reveals a Growing Need for System-level Confidence
Based on responses from 604 qualified participants working on IC/ASIC and FPGA projects, the study explores the impact of processor-rich architectures, AI accelerators, safety and security requirements, advanced integration, firmware, cloud computing, design-for-test, and AI-assisted verification workflows.
The results point to a verification challenge that extends well beyond traditional RTL closure. As hardware, software, architecture, workloads, power, clocking and reset, safety, security, and system operation become more tightly connected, engineering teams must build confidence in the behavior of the complete executable system.
Key Findings from the 2026 Study
Processor-rich designs are nearly universal
- 97% of IC/ASIC projects and 98% of FPGA projects report at least one embedded processor.
Safety and security requirements are mainstream
- Most participants report designs with security features requiring verification, safety-critical requirements, or both.
First-silicon success continues to decline
- Only 5% of IC/ASIC participants report achieving first-silicon success, down from 14.4% in 2024.
FPGA production bug escapes are rising
- 98% of responding FPGA participants report one or more non-trivial bugs escaping into production.
Verification consumes approximately half of total project time
- Participants report that functional verification accounts for an average of 49% of IC/ASIC project time and 51% of FPGA project time.
Verification now spans more languages, teams, stages, and computing environments
- Established RTL verification methods increasingly operate alongside firmware, C/C++, Python, SystemC, cloud computing, emulation, prototyping, DFT, and AI-assisted workflows.
Explore the 2026 Functional Verification Study
The 2026 study is presented as a series of six publications. Start with the executive overview, explore focused analyses of important industry developments, or access the complete supporting data.
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White Papers
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2026 Functional Verification Study: Executive Findings
Get an overview of the current industry baseline, participant profile, six headline findings, and their principal implications for functional verification.
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Five Signals from the 2026 Functional Verification Study
Explore five connected trends shaping functional verification, including alternative explanations, interpretation guardrails, respondent-vantage considerations, and the industry’s shift toward building system confidence in executable systems.
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AI in Functional Verification: What the 2026 Industry Data Reveals
Learn where AI is being applied within functional verification, how broadly it is integrated into engineering workflows, and where adoption remains limited.
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DFT's Expanding Role in Software-Driven Silicon: From Structural Test Closure to System-Assurance Evidence
Examine the earlier verification of design-for-test logic, integration between DFT and functional verification, accelerated execution, and evolving ownership across engineering teams.
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References
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Functional Verification Study Survey Methodology Evolution
Interpreting Long-term Results Across the 2024 Methodology Transition
Understand the study’s recruitment transition, the appropriate use of historical comparisons, the treatment of nonresponse, and important considerations for interpreting the survey results.
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2026 Functional Verification Data Atlas
Access the complete study data, including charts, survey-question wording, response bases, IC/ASIC and FPGA breakouts, nonresponse information, and data-quality notes.
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From RTL Verification to System Confidence
The 2026 findings are best understood as a connected pattern rather than a set of isolated results. Project outcomes are worsening at the same time that design content, verification environments, and reported failure contributors are becoming broader and more interconnected.
Established verification methods remain essential. However, teams must now verify that complete systems can boot, execute software, respond correctly under realistic workloads, recover from unexpected conditions, and operate safely and securely.
Download the publications above to explore the findings, methodology, technical implications, and supporting data from the 2026 Siemens EDA and Wilson Research Group Functional Verification Study.