"Not a Future 30 Years Away, but a Reality Now"... Nvidia and Google Bet First on the 'Energy of Dreams'

Joe Paluska, CMO of Commonwealth Fusion Systems, Interview
CES 2026’s Surprise Star Company
"Nuclear fusion is not 30 years away, but a reality here and now"
Aiming for energy production by 2027 with superconducting magnet technology powerful eno

Joe Paluska, Chief Marketing Officer of Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS), is posing in front of the high-temperature superconductor magnet exhibited at CES 2026. This magnet serves as the foundation for generating power by inducing nuclear fusion at a temperature of 100 million degrees. Photo by Paek Jongmin, Tech Specialist

At the CES 2026 venue, dominated by physical AI, the competition among energy-related companies was intense. This is because securing the electricity needed for AI has become essential. Among them, the most prominent company was the nuclear fusion startup Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS).

Spun off from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), CFS signaled that the realization of nuclear fusion-creating clean energy without pollutants by operating an "artificial sun" at 100 million degrees-is now within reach.

Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA, made a surprise appearance on Siemens' keynote stage, emphasizing that "the combination of AI and the physical world is driving the industrial revolution," and cited CFS as the most innovative example. At his own keynote, Jensen Huang also showcased a digital twin video of CFS's core experimental reactor, SPARC.

◇ "A magnet that can lift an aircraft carrier is a game changer" = Joe Paluska, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of CFS, expressed his confidence during an interview with The Asia Business Daily at the CES 2026 exhibition hall on January 8 (local time), stating, "Nuclear fusion is no longer 30 years away. It is here and now."

At the start of the interview, CMO Paluska pointed to a silver tape-shaped object displayed at the booth. This easily noticeable object from afar is CFS's core technology: a high-temperature superconductor (HTS) magnet. Paluska explained, "When IBM first discovered superconductors, it was at the level of grains of sand, but our team succeeded in expanding it into a tape form. This magnet generates a magnetic field of 20 tesla, which is more than 10 times stronger than those used in MRI machines. Theoretically, it has the power to lift an aircraft carrier." The exhibited magnet was labeled "the world's most powerful fusion magnet."

According to CMO Paluska, the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) in France requires its magnets to be cooled to nearly absolute zero, minus 268 degrees Celsius, but CFS can achieve this at around minus 200 degrees Celsius. The CFS approach is characterized by using magnets that are smaller but stronger than those of ITER.

CFS uses these powerful magnets to confine ultra-high-temperature plasma, reaching 100 million degrees, through a method called "magnetic confinement." Paluska stated, "Our method is optimized for commercial power generation," and explained the principle: "The thermal energy produced during the fusion process is collected using a 'molten salt blanket,' which is then used to drive steam turbines and generate electricity."

◇ Alliance with Google, NVIDIA, and Siemens... Shortening development time with 'digital twin' = At this CES 2026, CFS officially announced its partnerships with NVIDIA and Siemens, attracting significant attention. This collaboration is the 'key' that has brought nuclear fusion closer to reality. Paluska emphasized, "AI and digital twins are essential partners in the development of nuclear fusion."

"If Google DeepMind acts as a 'copilot' simulating the movements inside the plasma using AI, NVIDIA and Siemens are responsible for the 'virtual plant,' which replicates the entire power plant in a virtual space. Physical experiments that would take years can now be optimized in just a few weeks in this virtual environment." NVIDIA has also invested in the company.

CFS aims to achieve "net energy"-producing more energy than is input-at SPARC, its demonstration fusion device under construction in Devens, Massachusetts, by 2027. When asked if this is truly possible, CMO Paluska replied, "The global scientific community has validated our research papers and confirmed that it is feasible as planned." After SPARC, the goal is to operate the commercial ARC reactor in the early 2030s.

He added, "We have already signed a power purchase agreement to supply 50% of the electricity from the first commercial power plant, which will be built near Richmond, Virginia, to Google. This is not just an MOU, but an actual contract over 150 pages long." He also mentioned that Italian energy company ENI has expressed its intention to purchase power.

◇ "Close cooperation with Korea" = CMO Paluska described the vision for nuclear fusion as follows: "Fusion has an energy density 10 million times greater than fossil fuels. With just the hydrogen isotopes contained in a small water bottle, you could supply all the energy you need for your entire life. This is the most affordable and powerful future energy we dream of."

He also expressed great interest in cooperating with Korea. He is well aware of Korea's efforts toward fusion power generation and stated that discussions for collaboration with the Korean government are already underway.