Tech giant Microsoft appears to be putting up efforts to develop sustainable energy solutions for power-hungry artificial intelligence (AI) systems by hiring a professional to empower computation with Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and microreactor energy.
According to a job description by The Verge, Microsoft is seeking a principal program manager to lead a nuclear strategy to support the development of AI growth. The role will focus on leveraging SMRs and microreactors to meet the expanding energy demands of training complex AI models.
Overview
The job description quoted Microsoft Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella saying, “The next significant wave of computing is being born, as the Microsoft Cloud turns the world’s most advanced AI models into a new computing platform.” The ideal candidate must have a substantial nuclear industry, engineering or energy market to guide Microsoft’s experimental energy program.
The position will also explore alternative, cutting-edge power technologies beyond nuclear. The move made by the tech giant highlights concerns over AI’s massive electricity appetite, especially for data centre-driven deep learning models. According to a 2019 published study by the MIT Technology Review, a single AI model can release as much carbon into the atmosphere as five cars in their lifetimes. As Microsoft races to advance AI capabilities, it appears to be getting serious about clean energy sources to sidestep sustainability criticism.
Background in Nuclear Power
Nuclear power offers a relatively stable option to reduce the energy consumption of AI models. It involves developing more efficient algorithms and hardware and using renewable energy sources for data without significant greenhouse gas impact. Other tech firms like Google rely on nuclear and renewable energy to reduce AI environmental impacts. Yet carbon concerns remain as algorithms grow complex.
According to the United States Office of Nuclear Energy, one of the main advantages of nuclear power is that it produces no carbon emissions; however, researchers at Stanford University argue that this energy source is not a solution to environmental problems since it has a long-time lag between planning and operation, a large carbon footprint and meltdown risks. In January 2023, Microsoft announced a multiyear, multibillion-dollar investment in OpenAI, a viral AI chatbot ChatGPT maker. During an interview with experts at Bitcoin Decode, Microsoft’s Co-founder and Chairman of the Board of TerraPower, Bill Gates, mentioned that the nuclear innovation company is developing and scaling small modular reactor designs. Gates highlighted that TerraPower “does not currently have any agreements to sell reactors to Microsoft.” But Microsoft has publicly committed to pursuing nuclear energy from an innovator in the fusion space. The deal marks the third phase of the collaboration between the two companies.
In a blog post, Microsoft CEO said, “We formed our partnership with OpenAI around a shared ambition to responsibly advance cutting-edge AI research and democratize AI as a new technology platform.” In May 2023, Microsoft revealed that it signed a power purchase agreement with Helion, a nuclear fusion startup, to buy electricity from it in 2028.
The CEO of the Fusion Industry Association, Andrew Holland, said, “This is the first time I know that a company has a power purchase agreement signed. “Holland added, “No one has delivered electricity, and Helion’s goal of 2028 is aggressive, but they have a strong plan for how to get there.”
The CEO of OpenAI, Sam Altman, is an early and significant investor in Helion and a founder of OpenAI. This artificial intelligence organization developed ChatGPT, in which Microsoft has invested many billions of dollars. Altman highlighted the importance of “making AI systems more and more powerful for less and less money.” Nuclear fusion is the way in which the sun makes power when two smaller atomic nuclear smash together from a heavier atom and release tremendous quantities of energy in the process. Fusion has not yet been recreated at scale here on Earth. Still, many venture-backed startups are working to make it a reality because of the potential promise of virtually unlimited clean energy.
In recent years, interest in nuclear energy has increased alongside concerns about climate change, as nuclear reactors generate electricity without releasing virtually any carbon dioxide emissions. According to the US Energy Information Administration, the existing fleet of nuclear reactors in the US was primarily built between 1970 and 1990 and currently generates about 18% of the total electricity in the US. In the US, much of the hope for the next generation of nuclear reactor technology is pinned on SMRs, which Microsoft’s job post indicates the company is interested in using to power its data centers. Small nuclear reactors are smaller than conventional reactors and cheaper and quicker to build.
Microsoft’s plan to form a nuclear power team to support artificial intelligence with small nuclear reactors shows how committed the company is and its intentions to move with time and adapt to artificial intelligence.
Byline: Hannah Parker
