OpenAI’s Sam Altman shares a ‘holy grail’ solution for ChatGPT’s power-hungry demands, but researchers say it’s ‘wishful thinking’ and it won’t “be ready until the latter half of the century”
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says there’s a clear solution and answer for the AI power concerns — nuclear fusion.
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What you need to know
The emergence ofgenerative AIand its rapid adoption worldwide has enabled people to explore new opportunities and untapped potential in key areas. Some of the benefits of the technology can already be seen acrossmedicine,education, computing, and more. But this isn’t to say that the technology hasn’t encountered major roadblocks and bottlenecks.
Ai-powered chatbots like Microsoft Copilot andOpenAI’s ChatGPThave been riddled with several challenges, including lawsuits for copyright infringement, circulating misinformation, lack of interest from users, and more. But perhaps some of the main challenges preventing generative AI from realizing its main potential include the exorbitant costs of running chatbots which can get as high as$700,000 per day, thehigh demand for cooling water(one water bottle per query), and of course the high electricity demand.
It’s reported thatgenerative AI would have consumed enough energy to power a small country for a whole year by 2027. Building on the same premise, Elon Musk saysthere won’t be electricity to power AI by 2025despite being on the verge of the biggest technology revolution.
Interestingly, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says there’s a clear solution and answer for the AI power concerns — nuclear fusion (viaCNN World). This isn’t the first time Altman has pointed to nuclear fusion as the clear solution for the “resource-hungry” technology, potentially indicating that it might be an avenue OpenAI is considering exploring as an alternative power source.
Why is nuclear fusion being considered as an alternative source for power?
Nuclear energy is a form of energy that comes from atoms. Atoms contain a lot of energy which can be harnessed and used as electricity. You can achieve this through nuclear fusion or nuclear fission. In general, radioactive material is superheated and combined with water to produce plumes of steam, which then power turbines.
It is often touted as an alternative to traditional carbon-emitting fossil fuels, since water vapor is the primary by-product of nuclear power generation. However, some countries are skeptical. Microsoft has already shown interest and partnered with Helion. It’s reported thatHelion is expected to start generating nuclear energy through nuclear fusion by 2028, and is currently training LLMs to help speed up the regulatory process for nuclear projects.
Nuclear fusion is a great alternative, but we’re not ready to explore it yet
Speaking to CNN, Alex de Vries, a data scientist and researcher at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam referred to Altman’s solution for AI’s resource-hungry requirements as “wishful thinking,” further stating:
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“It would be a lot more sensible to focus on what we have at the moment, and what we can do at the moment, rather than hoping for something that might happen."
Nuclear fusion might be the perfect answer to most challenges riddling the AI landscape, owing to its almost ‘non-existent’ impact on the environment. However, researchers say recreating the conditions to make this solution a possibility is a huge challenge. “Fusion is already too late to deal with the climate crisis,” according to Aneeqa Khan, a research fellow in nuclear fusion at the University of Manchester in the UK.
Instead, researchers say it’s better to explore other plausible options like fission and renewable energy, which also sport a low-carbon footprint. However, the main challenge with this approach is finding enough renewable energy to match generative AI’s exponential growth amid the rising demand for power to facilitate other technological breakthroughs.
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Kevin Okemwa is a seasoned tech journalist based in Nairobi, Kenya with lots of experience covering the latest trends and developments in the industry at Windows Central. With a passion for innovation and a keen eye for detail, he has written for leading publications such as OnMSFT, MakeUseOf, and Windows Report, providing insightful analysis and breaking news on everything revolving around the Microsoft ecosystem. You’ll also catch him occasionally contributing at iMore about Apple and AI. While AFK and not busy following the ever-emerging trends in tech, you can find him exploring the world or listening to music.
