The False Dawn: Reevaluating Google's Reinforcement Learning for Chip Macro Placement

Reinforcement learning (RL) for physical design of silicon chips in a Google 2021 Nature paper stirred controversy due to poorly documented claims that raised eyebrows and attracted critical media coverage. The Nature paper withheld most inputs needed to produce reported results and some critical steps in the methodology. But two separate evaluations filled in the gaps and demonstrated that Google RL lags behind human designers, behind a well-known algorithm (Simulated Annealing), and also behind generally-available commercial software, while taking longer to run. Crosschecked data show that the integrity of the Nature paper is substantially undermined owing to errors in conduct, analysis and reporting. Before publishing, Google rebuffed internal allegations of fraud.