Fusion Energy: Key to Powering the Future of Artificial Intelligence, says OpenAI CEO
Summary:
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman proposes that the future development of artificial intelligence (AI) hinges on the creation of a high-yield energy source, primarily through nuclear fusion. Current AI models require an extensive power supply, leading experts to suggest we need an evolutionary approach to AI training or a more sustainable energy source. Despite uncertainties over when working fusion will become a reality, Altman invested heavily in fusion startup Helion in 2021, showcasing his belief in its potential to meet the considerable power needs of advancing AI.
OpenAI's CEO, Sam Altman, has stated that the progression of artificial intelligence (AI) is likely contingent on a yet-to-be-attained high-yield energy source. Altman shared his beliefs during a World Economic forum event in Davos, stating that the enormous power needed for future AI necessitates an energy breakthrough, and this pressing need is pushing investments in nuclear fusion.
Today's leading large language AI models including, but not limited to, OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Anthropic’s Claude, rely on tens of thousands of graphics processing units (GPUs), akin to those found in gaming PCs, in their developmental process. The power needed for these training cycles far outstrips that used in many other similar applications. Moreover, even after the training process, these large language models still consume a notable amount of energy. Projections from experts, Sam Altman among them, suggest that we must either innovate the way we operate and train these substantial AI models or uncover a method for generating eco-friendlier energy that surpasses current technological capacities.
Fusion energy, the active process of binding atoms together to generate energy, has been conceptually significant since British chemist Sir William Crookes identified plasma, an ionized gas, in 1879. It occurs when two lighter atoms merge to create a heavier atom, divesting energy in the process. The main obstacle yet to be overcome in this field is the need for fusion reactors to generate more power than they consume. Fusion holds potential as a zero-emissions approach in amplifying power grids, mirroring the uncertain future of human-level AI. There is no agreed timeline predicting when, or even if, a workable fusion will be designed and utilized.
Estimates for this breakthrough vary greatly, with some suggesting it may occur within the foreseeable future while others contend that it might not happen within the span of our lifetimes. In 2021, Altman personally invested $375 million in fusion startup Helion, a noteworthy allocation that constituted the majority of Helion's total $500 million fundraise and was also the largest investment Altman has ever made. Originally, Helion aimed to develop a working fusion reactor, producing surplus energy by 2024, although it remains unclear whether this target is currently achievable.
Published At
1/17/2024 7:00:00 PM
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