Nuclear energy plays a key role in the AI ​​era.

Speaking via video at the APEC Business Conference, the IAEA Director General affirmed that nuclear energy must play a crucial role in meeting the electricity demand driven by the explosion of AI.

On October 31, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Mariano Grossi, affirmed that nuclear energy must play a crucial role in meeting the rapidly increasing global electricity demand driven by the explosion of artificial intelligence (AI), data centers, and digital transformation.

Speaking via video at the APEC CEO Summit 2025 held in Gyeongju, South Korea, Grossi said that the rapid development of AI is significantly increasing global electricity consumption, while also creating both challenges and opportunities for clean energy.

"Data centers currently use about 1.5% of global electricity, and that number is expected to increase by more than 10% annually," he said.

Additionally, he revealed that major tech corporations such as Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and Meta are signing power purchase agreements and considering using nuclear energy to operate their AI data centers.

According to the head of the IAEA, nuclear energy is a large-scale, stable, and low-carbon solution that can complement renewable energy due to its ability to provide continuous electricity day and night, regardless of weather conditions.

Currently, more than 20 countries are aiming to triple their global nuclear power capacity by the middle of this century, while around 30 other countries are developing civilian nuclear power programs with the support of the IAEA.

He also stated that advanced designs such as small modular reactors (SMRs) and next-generation systems being developed in many APEC economies will help make nuclear energy more flexible and safer.

He asserted that as the economy becomes increasingly digitized and industrial activities are electrified, AI and nuclear energy will develop together, because AI is a driving force for innovation, while nuclear energy plays a supporting role in that process.

Mr. Grossi emphasized that given the continued increase in electricity demand, growing climate pressure, and the rapid pace of technological development, all clean energy sources need to be utilized, with nuclear energy being an important part of the solution.

(VNA/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/nang-luong-hat-nhan-dong-vai-tro-then-chot-trong-ky-nguyen-ai-post1074038.vnp