# Surveying GenAI-based Automation in Printed Circuit Board Design and Test

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2606.17074 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2606.17074/

## Key facts

- No citing papers in the map yet (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 33 of its 115 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 10 Jun 2026.

## Builds on (most cited first, 30 of 33)

- [Learning Transferable Visual Models From Natural Language Supervision](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2103.00020/) (2021)
- [Denoising Diffusion Probabilistic Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2006.11239/) (2020)
- [Evaluating Large Language Models Trained on Code](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2107.03374/) (2021)
- [CodeGeeX: A Pre-Trained Model for Code Generation with Multilingual Benchmarking on HumanEval-X](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2303.17568/) (2023)
- [Defect-GAN: High-Fidelity Defect Synthesis for Automated Defect Inspection](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2103.15158/) (2021)
- [SQL-PaLM: Improved Large Language Model Adaptation for Text-to-SQL (extended)](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2306.00739/) (2023)
- [A Survey of Research in Large Language Models for Electronic Design Automation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2501.09655/) (2025)
- [AmpAgent: An LLM-based Multi-Agent System for Multi-stage Amplifier Schematic Design from Literature for Process and Performance Porting](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2409.14739/) (2024)
- [LayoutCopilot: An LLM-powered Multi-agent Collaborative Framework for Interactive Analog Layout Design](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2406.18873/) (2024)
- [Exploring and Characterizing Large Language Models For Embedded System Development and Debugging](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2307.03817/) (2023)
- [LLMs and the Future of Chip Design: Unveiling Security Risks and Building Trust](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2405.07061/) (2024)
- [Masala-CHAI: A Large-Scale SPICE Netlist Dataset for Analog Circuits by Harnessing AI](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2411.14299/) (2024)
- [AMSnet-KG: A Netlist Dataset for LLM-based AMS Circuit Auto-Design Using Knowledge Graph RAG](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2411.13560/) (2024)
- [EEE-Bench: A Comprehensive Multimodal Electrical And Electronics Engineering Benchmark](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2411.01492/) (2024)
- [AMSbench: A Comprehensive Benchmark for Evaluating MLLM Capabilities in AMS Circuits](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2505.24138/) (2025)
- [LLM-Enhanced Bayesian Optimization for Efficient Analog Layout Constraint Generation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2406.05250/) (2024)
- [LLM-Aided Efficient Hardware Design Automation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2410.18582/) (2024)
- [Schemato -- An LLM for Netlist-to-Schematic Conversion](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2411.13899/) (2024)
- [LLM-USO: Large Language Model-based Universal Sizing Optimizer](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2502.02764/) (2025)
- [SPICED: Syntactical Bug and Trojan Pattern Identification in A/MS Circuits using LLM-Enhanced Detection](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2408.16018/) (2024)
- [LLMPirate: LLMs for Black-box Hardware IP Piracy](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2411.16111/) (2024)
- [LLM-based AI Agent for Sizing of Analog and Mixed Signal Circuit](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2504.11497/) (2025)
- [CIRCUITSYNTH: Leveraging Large Language Models for Circuit Topology Synthesis](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2407.10977/) (2024)
- [EmbedAgent: Benchmarking Large Language Models in Embedded System Development](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2506.11003/) (2025)
- [From Words to Wires: Generating Functioning Electronic Devices from Natural Language Descriptions](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2305.14874/) (2023)
- [ElectroVizQA: How well do Multi-modal LLMs perform in Electronics Visual Question Answering?](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2412.00102/) (2024)
- [Large Language Models and Attention-Based AI for Hardware Design and Security: Progress, Challenges, and Opportunities](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2504.08854/) (2025)
- [PrefixLLM: LLM-aided Prefix Circuit Design](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2412.02594/) (2024)
- [PCB Component Detection using Computer Vision for Hardware Assurance](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2202.08452/) (2022)
- [Enabling Generative Design Tools with LLM Agents for Mechanical Computation Devices: A Case Study](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2405.17837/) (2024)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is increasingly used for applications in the hardware and software domains. It purports to reduce the manual effort involved in the development and testing of complex systems before release. Within the hardware space, most tasks have focused on design automation of integrated circuits, particularly with hardware description languages. However, other types of hardware also exist! In this survey, we instead examine how GenAI has been and is being across the printed circuit board (PCB) design life cycle. This includes everything from supply chains, system specification, circuit design, layout and optimisation, validation and test, and PCB assembly and distribution. Through this lens we present a taxonomy of discovered works, categorising them according to their intent and contributions. This survey also identifies key technical challenges that GenAI faces in this space, such as domain-specific data scarcity and limited support for integration with existing PCB tools. Finally, future research directions are discussed: our survey shows that there are many opportunities remaining when considering how GenAI may be integrated into various tasks in PCB design and test.