Insider Brief
- Idaho National Laboratory (INL) has partnered with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to develop artificial intelligence tools that could enable autonomous operation of nuclear reactors.
- AWS will provide INL access to cloud infrastructure, AI models, and machine learning platforms including Amazon Bedrock, Inferentia, Trainium, and SageMaker to support simulation, design, and safety testing of advanced nuclear systems.
- The collaboration supports INL’s broader strategy to modernize nuclear energy with AI, including digital twins of small modular reactors (SMRs), and reflects growing industry interest in clean, reliable power for the expanding digital economy.
Idaho National Laboratory is teaming up with Amazon Web Services to accelerate the development of artificial intelligence tools that could one day allow nuclear reactors to run themselves.
The agreement gives INL access to AWS’s advanced cloud infrastructure and AI services as the lab works to design, test, and validate new software aimed at speeding up the design, licensing, and operation of nuclear energy systems, according to the National Idaho Laboratory. By using AI and machine learning tools, the lab hopes to cut costs and shorten timelines for building advanced reactors — while laying the groundwork for autonomous nuclear facilities.
“Our collaboration with Amazon Web Services marks a significant leap forward in integrating advanced AI technologies into our nuclear energy research and development initiatives,” INL Director John Wagner said in the announcement. “This collaboration underscores the critical role of linking the nation’s nuclear energy laboratory with AWS. By leveraging AWS’s cutting-edge cloud computing and AI solutions, we can accelerate nuclear energy deployment for America.”
The partnership is part of a broader effort by INL to build a public-private ecosystem where Department of Energy labs, commercial AI providers, and nuclear developers work together. INL is the lead lab for nuclear research in the U.S. and has made artificial intelligence a key focus of its strategy for modernizing the industry.
As part of the new collaboration, AWS will provide INL with access to tools such as Amazon Bedrock, which allows users to build customized applications using a variety of foundational AI models. Researchers at INL will also be able to tap into Amazon’s custom chips — including Inferentia and Trainium — and use machine learning platforms such as SageMaker.
Chris Ritter, INL’s division director of scientific computing and AI, said the lab plans to use AWS’s capabilities to build tools that make it easier to design and simulate nuclear reactors and ultimately support safe, autonomous operation.
One key goal is to develop what’s known as a “digital twin” of a small modular reactor — a virtual model that mirrors a real-world reactor in real time. By combining live sensor data with predictive modeling, digital twins can simulate how a reactor would respond to different conditions and help detect problems before they arise. This type of simulation, supported by AI, is seen as a crucial step toward achieving autonomous reactor operations.
Small modular reactors (SMRs) are considered a promising next-generation nuclear technology. Ranging from 20 to 300 megawatts in size, these reactors are designed to be easier to build, safer to operate, and more flexible than traditional large-scale nuclear plants. Advocates say SMRs could help power data centers, support grid reliability, and contribute to decarbonization goals.
David Appel, vice president of U.S. federal and global national security and defense at AWS, said Amazon sees a strategic opportunity in supporting clean energy technologies for the digital economy.
“AWS’s powerful AI and computing technology will support Idaho National Laboratory’s development of autonomous nuclear reactors to pioneer a future where civilian nuclear operations are safer, smarter and more responsive,” noted David Appel, vice president of U.S. Federal and Global National Security and Defense for AWS. “We’re proud to collaborate with the Department of Energy and Idaho National Laboratory to accelerate safe advanced nuclear energy that will strengthen America’s energy leadership and our technological edge.”
