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Design of Energy-Efficient VLSI Architectures for AI-Driven 6G Communication Systems
Subject area: Science,Engineering and Technology · Area of research: Artificial Intelligence
Abstract
The rapid emergence of artificial intelligence (AI)-driven sixth-generation (6G) communication systems has introduced stringent requirements for ultra-low latency, high throughput, and energy-efficient hardware implementations. To meet these demands, this paper presents the design and evaluation of novel energy-efficient Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) architectures tailored for AI-enabled 6G signal processing tasks. Unlike conventional hardware solutions, the proposed architecture integrates optimized processing elements, parallel computing structures, and low-power design techniques to accelerate AI workloads such as channel estimation, beamforming, and resource allocation. A hybrid architecture combining systolic arrays and reconfigurable data paths is developed to support both deep learning inference and communication-specific computations with minimal power consumption. The design incorporates voltage scaling, clock gating, and approximate computing techniques to reduce dynamic and static power dissipation without significantly affecting computational accuracy. Furthermore, an adaptive workload management scheme is implemented to dynamically allocate hardware resources based on real-time communication demands, improving overall system efficiency. The proposed VLSI architecture is synthesized and evaluated using standard CMOS technology, and its performance is benchmarked against existing AI accelerators used in wireless communication systems. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed design achieves a significant reduction in energy consumption while maintaining high processing throughput and low latency. The architecture also exhibits scalability and flexibility, making it suitable for integration into next-generation 6G base stations and edge devices. This work provides a practical hardware-level solution for enabling efficient AI-driven communication in future wireless systems, bridging the gap between advanced algorithms and real-time hardware implementation.
Keywords
VLSI Architecture, Energy Efficiency, 6G Communication Systems, AI Hardware Acceleration, Low-Power Design
References
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How to cite this paper
@article{1713377,
author = {Prashant Kumar, Rahul Vishnoi},
title = {Design of Energy-Efficient VLSI Architectures for AI-Driven 6G Communication Systems},
journal = {Iconic Research And Engineering Journals},
year = {2026},
volume = {9},
number = {7},
pages = {2882-2892},
issn = {2456-8880},
url = {https://www.irejournals.com/formatedpaper/1713377.pdf},
abstract = {The rapid emergence of artificial intelligence (AI)-driven sixth-generation (6G) communication systems has introduced stringent requirements for ultra-low latency, high throughput, and energy-efficient hardware implementations. To meet these demands, this paper presents the design and evaluation of novel energy-efficient Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) architectures tailored for AI-enabled 6G signal processing tasks. Unlike conventional hardware solutions, the proposed architecture integrates optimized processing elements, parallel computing structures, and low-power design techniques to accelerate AI workloads such as channel estimation, beamforming, and resource allocation. A hybrid architecture combining systolic arrays and reconfigurable data paths is developed to support both deep learning inference and communication-specific computations with minimal power consumption. The design incorporates voltage scaling, clock gating, and approximate computing techniques to reduce dynamic and static power dissipation without significantly affecting computational accuracy. Furthermore, an adaptive workload management scheme is implemented to dynamically allocate hardware resources based on real-time communication demands, improving overall system efficiency. The proposed VLSI architecture is synthesized and evaluated using standard CMOS technology, and its performance is benchmarked against existing AI accelerators used in wireless communication systems. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed design achieves a significant reduction in energy consumption while maintaining high processing throughput and low latency. The architecture also exhibits scalability and flexibility, making it suitable for integration into next-generation 6G base stations and edge devices. This work provides a practical hardware-level solution for enabling efficient AI-driven communication in future wireless systems, bridging the gap between advanced algorithms and real-time hardware implementation.},
keywords = {VLSI Architecture, Energy Efficiency, 6G Communication Systems, AI Hardware Acceleration, Low-Power Design},
month = {January},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.64388/IREV9I7-1713377}
}