RISC-V will be 'default ISA of choice' for all new chip designs, architecture's CEO predicts - digitimes

RISC-V International CEO Andrea Gallo predicted at the MIPS Forum during Computex 2026 that RISC-V will become the default instruction set architecture for all new chip designs, marking its transition... Read original →

If RISC-V becomes the default ISA for new chip designs, it will trigger a deep restructuring across the semiconductor stack—from EDA tools and compiler ecosystems to verification IP libraries—accelerating convergence between open-source hardware and AI-specific architectures. Geopolitically, its royalty-free model slashes licensing costs and compliance risks for firms in Taiwan, China and mainland China, though it may provoke U.S.-EU scrutiny over open standards as export-controlled technology. In response, NVIDIA could fast-track RISC-V-based co-processors, while Intel might leverage foundry partnerships to retain clients. Within 18 months, RISC-V will likely dominate edge AI chips, forcing traditional IP vendors to adopt modular licensing and fundamentally reshaping innovation cycles and profit distribution in chip design.