Microsoft, US national lab tap AI to speed up nuclear power permitting process
Microsoft and the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) said they will tap Microsoft's AI technology for generating engineering and safety analysis reports that are a standard part of the application process for construction permits and operating licenses for nuclear facilities in the United States. The AI systems, which have been trained on a huge trove of successful historical applications, will pull data from studies and compile it into complex applications that span hundreds of pages.
"It's created for human refinement, so a human can go through each of the sections and, specifically as needed, edit any of the sections, whether manually, or maybe with the help of AI - it's really up to the human," Nelli Babayan, AI director for federal civilian business at Microsoft, told Reuters in an interview.
The move comes after President Donald Trump in May signed executive orders to fast-track the licensing process for new nuclear power plants, aiming to shorten what is often a multiyear process into as little as 18 months as AI data centers create soaring demand for energy.
The technology could also help with squeezing more energy out of existing nuclear plants, said Scott Ferrara, deputy division director for nuclear safety and regulatory research at INL. Existing nuclear facilities must submit an evaluation of how they might increase power output and apply for an amendment to their operating license.
"A plethora of data already exists from about 82 upgrades that have already taken place, and they can just pull right from that (data) and help generate their license amendment request," Ferrara told Reuters in an interview.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Times
44 minutes ago
- Business Times
US agency approves OpenAI, Google, Anthropic for federal AI vendor list
[WASHINGTON] OpenAI's ChatGPT, Google's Gemini and Anthropic's Claude have been added to a list of approved AI vendors, the US government's central purchasing arm said on Tuesday (Aug 5), as the Trump administration aims to boost AI's use by federal agencies. Tuesday's approvals by the General Services Administration (GSA) are part of a new AI blueprint released on Jul 23 that aims to loosen environmental rules and vastly expand AI exports to allies, in a bid to maintain the US edge over China in the technology. The GSA's step means the approved AI tools will be available for government agencies to use on a platform with contract terms in place. Federal agencies will explore 'a wide range of AI solutions, from simple research assistants powered by large language models to highly tailored, mission-specific applications,' the GSA said. The GSA added it is focused on AI models 'that prioritise truthfulness, accuracy, transparency, and freedom from ideological bias.' President Donald Trump has called the AI race the fight that will define the 21st century. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up His administration's AI plan, which includes some 90 recommendations, also calls for the export of US AI software and hardware, and a crackdown on state laws deemed too restrictive to let AI flourish. It is a marked departure from former President Joe Biden's 'high fence' approach that limited global access to coveted AI chips. The Biden administration last year required federal agencies using AI to adopt 'concrete safeguards' on its use and to monitor, assess and test AI's impacts on the public. Biden also signed an executive order aimed at promoting competition, protecting consumers and ensuring AI was not used for misinformation, a measure that was rescinded by Trump. REUTERS
CNA
an hour ago
- CNA
Trump says he will meet China's Xi if a trade deal is struck
WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump said on Tuesday (Aug 5) the US was close to a trade deal with China and that he would meet his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping before the end of the year if an agreement is struck. "He asked for a meeting, and I'll end up having a meeting before the end of the year most likely, if we make a deal. If we don't make a deal, I'm not going to have a meeting," Trump told CNBC in an interview referring to China's Xi. "We're getting very close to a deal. We're getting along with China very well," Trump said. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said last week he believed the US had the "makings of a deal" with China after officials from the two countries met in Stockholm in a bid to resolve economic disputes aimed at extending their truce on a trade war by three months. China is facing an Aug 12 deadline to reach a durable tariff agreement with the US administration, after Beijing and Washington reached preliminary deals in May and June to end escalating tit-for-tat tariffs and a cut-off of rare earth minerals. Without a deal, global supply chains could face renewed turmoil from US duties snapping back to triple-digit levels that would amount to a bilateral trade embargo.
CNA
2 hours ago
- CNA
US agency approves OpenAI, Google, Anthropic for federal AI vendor list
WASHINGTON :The U.S. government's central purchasing arm on Tuesday added OpenAI's ChatGPT, Google's Gemini and Anthropic's Claude to a list of approved artificial intelligence vendors to speed use by government agencies. The move by the General Services Administration, allows the federal government advance adoption of AI tools by making them available for government agencies through a platform with contract terms in place. GSA said approved AI providers "are committed to responsible use and compliance with federal standards."
