Microsoft and Nvidia are launching the AI for Nuclear project, which plans to use AI to accelerate approvals and construction of nuclear power plants.
Microsoft and Nvidia are launching the AI for Nuclear project, which plans to use AI to accelerate approvals and construction of nuclear power plants.
As Axios reports, Microsoft President Brad Smith announced the initiative at the CERAWeek conference. The project involves creating tools that will work at all stages: from documentation analysis to plant operation. This includes automatically checking technical materials, searching for errors and discrepancies in applications, and merging data about the facility into a single system.
A special focus is placed on permitting procedures, which often drag on for years. Generative AI should help compare new applications with already issued permits and find discrepancies more quickly. This allows for shorter approval times and fewer revisions that slow down the launch of projects.
Another direction is the so-called «digital twins.» These are virtual models of future nuclear power plants on which changes can be tested before construction begins. Companies are also considering the use of AI sensors to monitor the operation of plants and detect anomalies at an early stage.
Microsoft cites the example of the startup Aalo Atomics, which, according to the company, has reduced the time it takes to obtain permits by 92% and saves about $80 million per year thanks to such tools.
The initiative comes amid a sharp increase in electricity consumption due to the development of AI. Large data centers require a stable base load, which is difficult to provide with renewable sources alone. That is why technology companies are increasingly considering nuclear energy as one of the key options. In particular, Microsoft previously signed an agreement with Constellation Energy to restore the operation of the power unit at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant to power data centers, and is also investing in small modular reactor projects. Nvidia, for its part, provides computing infrastructure for AI systems, which is directly dependent on the availability of cheap and stable electricity.
Previously, dev.ua wrote about how Nvidia’s latest statements indicate that the company’s financially strong partnership with leading AI developers has entered a new phase. During the Morgan Stanley conference, CEO Jensen Huang noted that previous investments in OpenAI and Anthropic will likely be the company’s last. He explained this by saying that the upcoming IPO of these startups is a natural conclusion to such deals.
