India emerges as strategic hub for Quest Global’s semiconductor growth as AI fuels industry boom

India has become a critical pillar of engineering services firm Quest Global’s semiconductor business, accounting for the majority of its semiconductor engineering resources globally, as the company positions itself to capitalize on the rapid growth of the global chip industry driven by artificial intelligence (AI).

In an interaction with EnterpriseStory, Richard Bergman, Global Business Head – Semiconductor at Quest Global, said India is no longer viewed merely as a cost-effective talent destination but as a strategic centre that enables global semiconductor companies to scale engineering operations and accelerate product development.

“India is core for us. It is where 80-90% of our resources are right now for the semiconductor business,” Bergman said, highlighting the country’s growing importance in supporting customers across North America, Europe and other global markets.

According to Bergman, the semiconductor industry is currently experiencing what he describes as its “glory days,” with demand surging amid the rapid adoption of AI technologies. The global semiconductor market, valued at around $500 billion in 2023, is projected to expand significantly over the coming years as AI workloads drive demand for advanced processors, memory and specialised chips.

The emergence of generative AI applications following the launch of ChatGPT in late 2022 has accelerated investments across the semiconductor value chain, creating strong demand for chip design expertise and engineering talent. At the same time, governments worldwide have begun recognising semiconductors as strategic infrastructure, leading to increased investments in domestic manufacturing and supply chain resilience.

Against this backdrop, Quest Global is strengthening its role as a strategic engineering partner to semiconductor companies. The company recently acquired BitSilica to bolster its front-end chip design capabilities, enabling it to offer end-to-end semiconductor engineering services, from design and verification to post-silicon validation and embedded software development.

Bergman noted that semiconductor companies are increasingly looking for long-term engineering partnerships rather than short-term staffing arrangements. “Customers want teams that can work across multiple generations of products and become deeply integrated into their design flows,” he said.

AI is also reshaping how chips themselves are developed. Quest Global is investing heavily in applying AI across semiconductor development workflows and training its engineering workforce to support this transition. The company has tasked senior leadership with identifying areas where AI can improve chip design efficiency, while also collaborating closely with major semiconductor firms to integrate AI into their development processes.

“With chip complexity increasing dramatically, AI will become a fundamental tool in semiconductor development,” Bergman said, adding that Quest Global aims to be a thought leader in helping customers navigate this transformation.