Artificial intelligence requires a lot of computing power, and a lot of computing power means a lot of energy consumption. Microsoft is developing a roadmap to running its data centers on electricity from small nuclear reactors. Microsoft is hiring a nuclear technology specialist, according to a job description it posted last week.

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Titled "Principal Program Manager, Nuclear Technology," the person holding this position will be responsible for implementing the global small modular reactor and microreactor energy strategy and conducting technical assessments for reactor integration efforts.


This move shows thatMicrosoft is looking to use nuclear energy to power the data centers where Microsoft's cloud and artificial intelligence are housed.

Small nuclear reactors will receive attention

Interest in nuclear energy has grown in recent years amid concerns about climate change, as nuclear reactors produce electricity that emits virtually no carbon dioxide.

According to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, most of the existing nuclear reactors in the United States were built between 1970 and 1990, and their current power generation accounts for about 18% of the total power generation in the United States.

Hopes for the next generation of nuclear reactor technology rest largely on small nuclear reactors.

As the name suggests, small nuclear reactorsSmaller than traditional reactors, they are also cheaper and faster to build because they are designed with a modular structure and not every part of the reactor needs to be custom-made.

Microsoft pursues nuclear energy path

MicrosoftEnergy is being sought to be produced through nuclear fission, which is when atoms split apart and release energy.

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, in his alter ego, is chairman of nuclear innovation company TerraPower, which is developing and promoting small modular reactor designs.

However, a spokesperson for TerraPower said, "There is currently no agreement to sell reactors to Microsoft."

In addition to nuclear fission technology, Microsoft has publicly promised toSeek nuclear power from the innovators in fusion.

Nuclear fusion is when two smaller nuclei collide together to form a heavier atom, releasing huge amounts of energy in the process. This is also how the sun creates energy.

Fusion power has not yet returned to Earth on a large scale, but with the promise of potentially unlimited clean energy, many venture-backed startups are working to make it a reality.

In May of this year, Microsoft announced that it had signed a power purchase agreement with nuclear fusion startup Helion to purchase power from Helion in 2028. It is worth mentioning that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is an important early investor in Helion.