The Department of Energy has renewed its grant, providing an additional three years of funding for the team’s research. The team is now preparing for their next experiment, which aims to further investigate the application of reinforcement learning in controlling key aspects of plasma behavior. Successful nuclear fusion could offer a clean and abundant energy source that could help mitigate major global issues like climate change, water scarcity, and food distribution.
Key takeaways:
- A team of researchers from Carnegie Mellon University and Princeton University are using artificial intelligence to control the challenging dynamics of nuclear fusion, a potential clean, safe, and long-lasting source of energy.
- Nuclear fusion does not create long-term radioactive waste, unlike nuclear fission which is currently used in nuclear power plants.
- The team has made significant advancements in using AI to control the dynamics of nuclear fusion, with successful experiments conducted at the DIII-D National Fusion Facility in San Diego.
- The Department of Energy has renewed its grant, providing an additional three years of funding for the team’s research, positioning Carnegie Mellon University as one of the leaders in global nuclear fusion research.