Artificial Intuition: Building an AI Mind for Electromagnetic Design and Engineering - ARENA Physica

Mike Frei, of ARENA Physica, joins CDFAM Barcelona 2026 to discuss the company’s AI foundation model for electromagnetism and what it means for the future of electronic hardware design.

Mike brings an unusual combination of deep physics intuition - PhD from Columbia studying geometry and electron behavior at the molecular scale - and operational experience from McKinsey and C-suite roles at Swiss aerospace and defense company RUAG. That background informs Arena’s approach to reimagining electromagnetic simulation across semiconductors, aerospace, and automotive sectors.

The conversation covers how Arena is building what they call Artificial Intuition for EM design, the limitations of current simulation approaches, and why a foundation model purpose-built for electromagnetism represents a fundamentally different path forward.

Watch the full presentation:

Full archive at cdfam.com/barcelona-2026/

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