Software Engineering Daily Turing Award Special: A Conversation with David Patterson
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Apr 10, 2025 
David Patterson, a pioneering computer scientist and co-developer of RISC, shares insights into his transformative journey in computer architecture. He discusses the evolution from traditional instruction sets to RISC-V, emphasizing its role in machine learning. The conversation explores the shift towards memory-centric computing, challenges in machine learning, and the environmental impact of data centers. Patterson also touches on the future of AI and the importance of sustainable practices in technology, showcasing the incredible advancements and challenges ahead.
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RISC Evolution
- David Patterson and John Hennessy developed multiple RISC architectures at Berkeley and Stanford.
- Modern instruction sets are still similar to the core of RISC-1 from the 1980s.
RISC-V Origins
- RISC-V, developed at Berkeley, is an open-source instruction set architecture.
- It started as a research tool but gained popularity due to the demand for an open standard.
Domain Specific Accelerators
- Domain-specific accelerators are becoming important due to Moore's Law slowing and specialized needs.
- RISC-V supports this by allowing extensions for domains like machine learning.
