TLDR: Microsoft and the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) are collaborating to deploy artificial intelligence to significantly expedite the complex regulatory and documentation processes required for licensing and upgrading nuclear power plants in the United States. This initiative aims to cut down multi-year permitting timelines to as little as 18 months, driven by increasing energy demands from AI data centers.
In a significant move to bolster the nation’s energy infrastructure, Microsoft has partnered with the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) in streamlining the notoriously complex and time-consuming process of licensing and upgrading nuclear power plants across the U.S. This collaboration, announced around mid-July 2025, seeks to dramatically reduce the multi-year timelines typically associated with obtaining permits for new nuclear construction and operational licenses.
The core of this initiative involves deploying Microsoft’s advanced AI systems, which have been rigorously trained on an extensive archive of successful historical applications. These AI tools are designed to generate comprehensive engineering and safety analysis reports—documents that often span hundreds of pages and are critical components of regulatory submissions to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and Department of Energy.
Nelli Babayan, Microsoft’s AI director for federal civilian business, emphasized the collaborative nature of the technology, stating, “This technology is designed for human refinement. Experts can review and edit any section as needed, either manually or with additional AI support — it’s ultimately human-driven.” This highlights that while AI automates the assembly of documentation, human oversight and expertise remain paramount for accuracy and compliance.
The urgency behind this partnership is underscored by a May executive order from President Donald Trump, aimed at fast-tracking nuclear plant licensing to reduce approval times to as little as 18 months. This push is directly linked to the surging energy demands, particularly from the rapid expansion of AI data centers, which require substantial and reliable power sources.
Beyond new projects, the AI tools are also poised to assist existing nuclear facilities in boosting their output. Scott Ferrara, Deputy Division Director for Nuclear Safety and Regulatory Research at INL, noted that the AI can leverage data from approximately 82 past plant upgrades to efficiently generate license amendment requests. Jess Gehin, Associate Laboratory Director for Nuclear Science and Technology at INL, added, “Introducing AI technologies will enhance efficiency and accelerate the deployment of advanced nuclear technologies.”
The collaboration utilizes Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform and AI services. Heidi Kobylski, Microsoft’s Vice President for Federal Civilian Agencies, articulated the broader vision, stating, “Artificial intelligence technologies can enable a new frontier of innovation by automating routine processes, accelerating development and freeing scientists and researchers to focus on the real complex challenges affecting our society.”
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Funding for this project has been provided by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy through the National Reactor Innovation Center. This marks the second significant collaboration between Microsoft and INL, following their pioneering work in 2023 to develop the world’s first nuclear reactor digital twin using Azure cloud computing.
