Absolutely all chip designs get software emulated/simulated for rigorous testing before being sent to the fab for production.
It seems like the publication turned what is industry standard into a sensationalistic article.
The only thing Nvidia did different was rolling directly to tapeout with their simulated design without any intermediate prototypes which was indeed a risky move but not unheard of for cash strapped semi startups.
It seems like the publication turned what is industry standard into a sensationalistic article.
The only thing Nvidia did different was rolling directly to tapeout with their simulated design without any intermediate prototypes which was indeed a risky move but not unheard of for cash strapped semi startups.