Microsoft (MS) is pursuing a plan to utilize small modular reactors, regarded as the next-generation energy source, as a power source for artificial intelligence (AI) operations. Small modular reactors, considered a next-generation energy source leading the decarbonization era, have been an investment focus for MS founder Bill Gates after his retirement.
According to the US financial media CNBC on the 25th (local time), MS recently posted a job opening seeking a "nuclear technology expert." The announcement described the role as an expert leading the integration technology of small modular reactors (SMR) and microreactors (MR) to supply power to data centers running MS cloud and AI.
It added that the senior program manager for nuclear technology to be hired will be responsible for "completing and executing the global SMR and MR energy strategy" going forward.
CNBC reported that this is interpreted as MS planning to use these small modular reactors to supply the massive energy required to operate data centers that run cloud services and train AI. Since investing $1 billion in OpenAI, the company that developed the generative AI ChatGPT, in January this year, MS has been expanding its investments in generative AI.
Small modular reactors using nuclear fission and fusion are noted as eco-friendly future energy sources due to their high energy efficiency and zero greenhouse gas emissions during power generation. They are also considered easier to install than traditional large nuclear power plants and are evaluated to have lower risks of leaks and explosions.
Gates founded TerraPower, an SMR company, in 2008 and has been promoting the development of a reactor called "Sodium." The sodium reactor is a nuclear fission reactor that uses depleted uranium as fuel and uses liquid sodium, which has a high boiling point, as a coolant instead of water.
TerraPower has not yet signed an energy contract with MS, but it is expected that a contract will be made in the future depending on the progress of TerraPower's reactor development.
Earlier in May, MS signed a contract with fusion startup Helion to receive at least 50 MW (megawatts) of electricity annually from fusion power starting in 2028. Helion is a startup invested in by Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT, and plans to build a demonstration facility capable of fusion power generation by next year.
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