Big tech companies are turning to nuclear energy to power their growing artificial intelligence operations, aiming to address concerns over the technology’s environmental impact.
Microsoft recently secured a deal to reopen a reactor at Three Mile Island, a site infamous for its 1979 partial meltdown. The company plans to use this power to sustain its AI growth.
Amazon is also exploring the use of nuclear energy by building a data center campus near a Talen Energy nuclear power plant in Northeast Pennsylvania.
Sam Altman, OpenAI’s CEO, has invested heavily in nuclear energy and chairs a nuclear startup called Oklo, which aims to develop microreactors.
Critics argue that expanding nuclear power will only delay the inevitable need for cleaner energy sources. History suggests that nuclear proliferation concerns are valid.
Nuclear power is better understood today than it was during the Three Mile Island incident, with improved safety regulations in place. However, years will pass before many recently announced projects come online.
This shift to nuclear power means big tech data centers will continue to rely on fossil fuels while demand for electricity grows. The long-term implications of this decision remain unclear, leaving questions about whether the benefits of AI outweigh the environmental costs.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2024/10/01/business/ai-nuclear-energy-nightcap/index.html