Microsoft and the U.S. national laboratory Idaho said on Wednesday they are working together to use artificial intelligence to help speed up the process of getting permits for new nuclear power plants.
The project will use Microsoft’s AI systems to generate engineering and safety analysis reports that are required to apply for construction permits and operating licenses in the U.S. The AI tools will gather and organize data from past applications, many of which include hundreds of pages, to create drafts that humans can review and edit as needed.
The announcement comes after President Donald Trump signed executive orders in May to shorten the nuclear licensing process. The government hopes to reduce the timeline from several years to as little as 18 months to meet growing power demand from AI data centers.
Microsoft said the AI is built to support humans, allowing them to review and edit each section manually or with more AI help.
The technology could also help nuclear plants that want to boost their output. To do this, operators must file a license amendment request with regulators. The AI can use data from 82 past upgrades to help with that process.
