NRC's Enterprisewide Strategy on AI

Consistent with Executive Order (EO) 14179, “Removing Barriers to American Leadership in Artificial Intelligence,” the NRC released it’s “FY26 Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategic Plan,” on September 29, 2025. The NRC’s AI Strategic Plan describes the NRC's current and planned efforts to meet the federal requirements in the Office of Management and Budget Memorandum M-25-21, “Accelerating Federal Use of AI through Innovation, Governance, and Public Trust.” In addition, it describes how the agency plans to incorporate its workforce processes, technology, and stakeholders in the continued advancement of the agency’s mission through the application of AI capabilities.

The NRC’s AI Vision is: 
To responsibly leverage artificial intelligence in support of the NRC’s mission, empowering staff to efficiently make risk-informed decisions, drive regulatory innovation, and protect public health, safety, and the environment.

Per Scott Flanders, “As the NRC's Chief AI Officer, I am committed to engaging my NRC mission, mission support, and corporate support counterparts in identifying and capitalizing on opportunities to use AI to achieve desired strategic outcomes. The NRC AI Strategy will provide a common framework for consistently improving the agency's ability to seize upon these opportunities in a comprehensive and collaborative fashion. As such, the NRC AI Strategy will describe how the agency plans to incorporate its workforce, its processes, its technology, and its stakeholders in the continued advancement of the agency mission through the effective use of modern technology.”

The NRC is committed to the responsible and transparent use of AI. Our plan emphasizes safeguards, oversight and human judgment in all agency activities to maintain safety and efficiency standards. AI tools, provide new opportunities for the agency to expedite access to insights from historical and new information that can be used to streamline workflows and create efficiencies at an enterprise level.

The NRC is taking a phased approach that will be constantly evaluated before broader application, ensuring alignment with federal guidance, regulations and Executive Orders.