Microsoft is exploring how artificial intelligence (AI) could facilitate the development of nuclear fusion as a viable energy source. This fusion energy promises limitless clean energy, aligning with Microsoft's energy-intensive AI products. At a recent Fusion Summit, researchers discussed the potential of AI to expedite fusion research, even as practical scalable fusion remains a future prospect. Microsoft executives emphasize the need for sustainable AI practices, noting current sustainability challenges linked to AI datacenters and their environmental impact.
The pursuit of nuclear fusion as a limitless, clean energy source has long been one of humanity's most ambitious scientific goals," three Microsoft Research boffins - Kenji Takeda, Shruti Rajurkar, and Ade Famoti - wrote in a post published Wednesday.
While scalable fusion energy is still years away, researchers are now exploring how AI can help accelerate fusion research and bring this energy to the grid sooner.
Such speculation is needed because AI is not currently sustainable. As the UN Environment Program observed last year, 'The proliferating datacenters that house AI servers produce electronic waste.'
Collection
[
|
...
]