How the NRC is Preparing for AI Technologies in the Nuclear Industry
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International Activities on AI
The NRC is committed to proactive and collaborative engagement with international regulatory counterparts. For AI-related activities, the NRC will continue to engage with international counterparts and multilateral organizations to collaborate in sharing information on the use of AI in regulated activities, conduct cooperative research, and influence the development of international standards and guidance. The NRC identified international partnerships as a key objective for implementing the AI Strategic Plan.
The NRC maintains strong relationships with international regulatory and research organizations to learn from their experiences, share its own best practices, and contribute to global nuclear safety. The NRC, along with other member states, continues to work with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on several technical exchanges on AI. The NRC also has several bilateral agreements on AI activities with Canada, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK). These bilateral relationships include cooperative research and information exchanges on regulatory approaches and best practices on AI.
US-Canada-UK Trilateral Collaboration on AI
The NRC is actively involved in international activities and maintains a strong leadership role in nuclear safety research on AI, while gaining insights from international experience. In September 2024, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC), the UK Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR), and the NRC jointly published an AI principles paper titled "Considerations for Developing Artificial Intelligence Systems in Nuclear Applications". This paper outlines guiding principles to consider when using AI to ensure the safe and secure operation of nuclear facilities and other nuclear materials. The principles discuss the need to clarify and address the challenges arising from these fast-developing technologies while encouraging the beneficial uses of AI.
Future Focused Research
The NRC is investing in AI research through the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research’s Future Focused Research (FFR) program to explore how AI can support our mission and build foundational knowledge across the agency. Launched in FY 2020, the FFR program serves as an enabler to identify areas where AI could be used to meet our mission while simultaneously building foundational knowledge across the agency.
As interest in AI has grown in recent years, several FFR projects have shifted their focus to AI topics. Some examples include:
- Using machine learning (ML) to inform inspection planning;
- Characterizing cyber security states using AI/ML; and
- Applying a natural language processing model to analyze regulatory documents.
Regulatory Framework Applicability Assessment of AI in Nuclear Applications
The NRC researches and collaborates with agency stakeholders, other Federal partners, and the international regulatory community to identify current AI standards and technical areas where regulatory gaps may exist. The NRC also considers unique aspects of AI applications. In June 2023, the NRC began assessing whether the existing regulatory framework applies to AI in NRC-regulated activities. The assessment considers existing rules and guidance. The results will help determine if any regulations, guidance, or inspection procedures need to be updated or created. It will also identify potential training needs for NRC staff, such as inspectors and technical reviewers. The final report was published in October 2024 (ML24290A059).
AI Public Workshops
The NRC hosts a series of NRC AI Public Workshops to provide a forum for the NRC, nuclear industry, and stakeholders to discuss the state of knowledge and research activities related to AI and its application in the nuclear industry. At these workshops, the NRC works with internal and external stakeholders to identify the benefits and risks associated with the use of AI in regulatory activities and discusses ongoing and planned projects in the nuclear industry. Based on feedback from these workshops, the nuclear industry may start deploying AI in nuclear applications in the near future.
For more details, please visit the NRC Artificial Intelligence Workshops webpage.