On October 9, 2024, Google announced its consideration of nuclear energy as a potential solution to power its massive data centers that support artificial intelligence operations. This revelation was made by CEO Sundar Pichai during an interview with the Japanese newspaper Nikkei.
Pichai highlighted the increasing energy demands driven by the company's investments in AI, which necessitate a search for sustainable and robust energy sources. He reiterated Google's ambitious goal to achieve net-zero emissions across all operations by 2030.
While Pichai did not provide a specific timeline for the implementation of nuclear energy in Google's data centers, he mentioned that the company is currently exploring investments in technologies such as small modular reactors. This move reflects a significant shift in how tech giants are approaching energy sustainability amidst growing environmental concerns.
This exploration of nuclear energy could have broader implications for the tech industry as it seeks to balance energy needs with environmental responsibilities.