In September, Microsoft struck a deal that will bring the Pennsylvania-based Three Mile Island nuclear power station back online in order to power its data centers. Then this week, both Google and Amazon announced plans to source nuclear power for their data centers from so-called “small modular reactors.”
According to Goldman Sachs, data centers consume 1-2% of global electricity, and that share is expected to rise more than 150% by the end of the decade, driven in large part by AI training and inference. That surging demand has worried some observers because of its potential impacts on energy costs and carbon emissions. Nuclear is an appealing option in part because, unlike solar and wind, it provides steady, round-the-clock power independent of weather conditions.
While the recent announcements point to a potential pathway for lower-emissions AI, 100% clean data centers are still a long way off. Even if the announced deals can get the regulatory approvals they need, they will still account for only a small percentage of the tech giants’ overall data center power consumption.
More: Bill Gates Is Going Nuclear: How His Latest Project Could Power U.S. Homes and AI | A.I.’s Insatiable Appetite for Energy
This newsletter excerpt is from the October 17, 2024, edition of policy.ai — CSET’s newsletter on artificial intelligence, emerging technology, and security policy, written by Alex Friedland. Other stories from this edition include:
- Governor Newsom Vetoes Sweeping AI Regulation, SB 1047
- OpenAI Raises $6.6 Billion — But Departures Point to Difficult Transition
- DOD Announces Replicator 2 — Counter-Drone Defenses the Focus
- Commerce Considering Country-Specific Chip Export Caps
- FTC Cracks Down on AI Over-Promising
- OMB Issues Guidance on Responsible AI Acquisition
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