MICROSOFT NEEDS SO MUCH POWER TO TRAIN AI THAT IT'S CONSIDERING SMALL NUCLEAR REACTORS

Source: Victor Tangermann| · FUTURISM · | September 30, 2023

IT'S A HIGHLY AMBITIOUS PLAN.

Training large language models is an incredibly power-intensive process that has an immense carbon footprint. Keeping data centers running requires a ludicrous amount of electricity that could generate substantial amounts of greenhouse emissions — depending, of course, on the energy's source.

Now, The Verge reports, Microsoft is betting so big on AI that its pushing forward with a plan to power them using nuclear reactors. Yes, you read that right; a recent job listing suggests the company is planning to grow its energy infrastructure with the use of small modular reactors (SMR.)

At least in theory, SMRs are cheaper to build and more flexible than full-scale nuclear power stations. And there's at least some momentum behind the idea in the US — the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission a greenlit a design by Oregon-based nuclear reactor company NuScale Power just last year.

But before Microsoft can start relying on nuclear power to train its AIs, it'll have plenty of other hurdles to overcome.