Google DeepMind and Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) recently announced a strategic partnership to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to advance the development of clean nuclear fusion energy. This collaboration marks the first systematic application of AI to address the world-class scientific challenge of nuclear fusion. Nuclear fusion, the physical process that generates light and heat in the sun, requires stable confinement of plasma exceeding 100 million degrees Celsius within a device. DeepMind's AI technology is addressing this complex challenge.
The collaboration builds on DeepMind's cutting-edge research in AI-powered plasma control. The team has successfully used deep reinforcement learning to control the magnets of a tokamak, stabilize plasma conditions, and develop the open-source simulator TORAX. Meanwhile, CFS is currently constructing the SPARC compact tokamak in the suburbs of Boston, USA. Using high-temperature superconducting magnets, the device aims to be the first fusion device to achieve "net energy gain." Construction is currently two-thirds complete and is expected to be completed in 2026.
The collaboration focuses on three key areas: first, running millions of virtual experiments for SPARC using TORAX to optimize operational scenarios; second, applying reinforcement learning to explore optimal energy generation pathways; and finally, developing an "AI pilot" to control device operation in real time, dynamically adjusting magnetic fields to manage thermal loads. This innovative collaboration is expected to significantly accelerate the commercialization of nuclear fusion energy, providing humanity with a nearly limitless clean energy solution.
