Sam Altman at Davos | World Economic Forum 2024
Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, has stated that an energy breakthrough is necessary for the future of AI. Altman believes sustainable energy sources, such as nuclear fusion, cheaper solar power, and storage, are crucial for AI advancement.
The CEO of OpenAI, Sam Altman, emphasised the crucial need for an energy breakthrough to support the future development of AI. Altman highlighted that AI technology will consume much more power than initially anticipated, which calls for the exploration of climate-friendly sources of energy, such as nuclear fusion, cheaper solar power, and storage.
During a Bloomberg event held at the World Economic Forum‘s annual meeting in Davos, Altman explained the challenging nature of unlocking the full potential of AI without a significant breakthrough in energy resources. He underscored the importance of increasing investment in nuclear fusion as a path forward for advancing AI.
Altman already demonstrated his dedication to this cause, investing $375 million in Helion Energy, a private US nuclear fusion company. This investment has led to Helion Energy securing a deal to supply energy to Microsoft, OpenAI’s primary financial backer and provider of computing resources for AI.
In addition to advocating for nuclear fusion, Altman expressed his desire for nuclear fission to be embraced worldwide as an energy source. Though he did not provide detailed arguments or evidence to support this view, his remarks suggest a belief in the potential of nuclear fission alongside fusion and other climate-friendly energy sources.
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