A prominent Turing Prize winner is advocating for governments to mandate that AI companies invest in nuclear energy. This proposition aims to ensure that tech firms cover potential catastrophic outcomes and contribute to funding safety research within the energy sector. The increasing energy demands of AI development have prompted major tech players to explore nuclear power as a sustainable and reliable energy source.
Several tech giants are already making significant investments in nuclear energy. Microsoft has a power purchase agreement with Constellation Energy and is working to restart a decommissioned nuclear reactor. Google has partnered with Kairos Power to fund the construction of small modular reactors. Amazon has invested in X-energy. These moves highlight a growing trend of tech companies underwriting nuclear energy to meet the power demands of AI data centres.
This push towards nuclear energy is also driven by the need for cleaner energy sources to meet carbon reduction goals. Nuclear power offers a reliable, cost-efficient, and sustainable solution for powering energy-intensive AI technologies. The increasing investor interest has led to substantial funding for small modular reactor developers, with billions of dollars being raised in the past year.
