Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Regulatory Applications Workshops
On this page:
- Overview
- Workshop Topics and Registration
- Upcoming Workshop
- Past Workshops
- Workshop #1: Introduction to AI
- Workshop #2: Current Topics
- Workshop #3: Future Focused Initiatives
- Workshop #4: AI Characteristics for Regulatory Consideration
- Workshop #5: AI Regulatory Framework Applicability Considerations
- NRC AI Symposium 2025: Maintaining Momentum in 2025
- Workshop #6: AI on the Horizon – Aligning Progress with Purpose
- Symposium #2: Moving Data and AI into Practice
- Contact Information
Overview:
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is hosting a series of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Regulatory Applications Public Workshops to provide a forum for the U.S. NRC, nuclear industry and stakeholders to discuss the state of knowledge and research activities related to data science and artificial intelligence and their application in the nuclear industry. The workshops seek to:
Workshop Topics and Registration
Participants are requested to register for the workshop at the link provided in the table below. Following registration, you will receive an email containing a calendar appointment reminder and a link to the Microsoft Teams Meeting.
| Title | Time | Date | Location | Registration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Workshop #7 – Navigating the AI Landscape: Regulator Transformation, Industry Innovation, and Global Collaboration | 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. | Tuesday, September 15, 2026 | NRC Headquarters (Auditorium) – Rockville, MD and Microsoft Teams Meeting | Register |
Upcoming Workshop
Workshop #7: Navigating the AI Landscape: Regulator Transformation, Industry Innovation, and Global Collaboration
Purpose:
The seventh NRC Artificial Intelligence Workshop provides an update on the agency’s AI maturity journey, regulatory readiness plans, and external industry innovations driving the nuclear enterprise. This year’s workshop will feature real-world internal use cases and demonstrations that streamline agency operations alongside progress updates on AI regulatory considerations and research activities. Bringing together diverse perspectives from licensees, reactor developers, academia, and research organizations, this event bridges regulatory modernization with technical breakthroughs to explore safe, transparent, and efficient AI deployment across the nuclear sector. Building on the foundation established in prior workshops, this meeting will continue the dialogue around regulatory and technical considerations for AI use in nuclear applications.
| Agenda Workshop #7: Navigating the AI Landscape: Regulator Transformation, Industry Innovation, and Global Collaboration September 15, 2026 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. ET Hybrid (NRC Headquarters, Rockville, MD and Microsoft Teams) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Time (Eastern) | Topic | Presenter |
| 9:00 a.m. – 9:15 a.m. | Workshop Orientation and Opening Remarks | Caroline Carusone, CAIO (NRC) |
| 9:15 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. | TBD | TBD |
| 10:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. | Break | |
| 10:45 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. | TBD | TBD |
| 11:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. | Lunch | |
| 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. | TBD | TBD |
| 2:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. | Break | |
| 2:45 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. | TBD | TBD |
| AI Flash Talks 3:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. | TBD | TBD |
| TBD | TBD | |
| 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. | Open Discussion and Closing Remarks | |
Past Workshops
Workshop #1: Introduction to AI
Purpose:
The first workshop in the Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Regulatory Applications Workshops series is intended to cover state-of-practice tools, methods and procedures in artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and deep learning (DL) applicable to the reactor safety program and to orient workshop participants to current AI terminology, software tools, and best practices.
| Agenda Workshop #1: Introduction to AI June 29, 2021 10:00am – 3:00pm ET Virtual (Microsoft Teams) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Time | Topic | Presenter |
| 10:00 - 10:10a.m. | Introduction and Regulatory Purpose | Teri Lalain (NRC) |
| 10:10 - 10:30a.m. | AI Introduction and Terminology | Ron Boring (INL) |
| 10:30 - 11:00a.m. | Machine Learning Theory | Mark Fuge (UMD) |
| 11:00- 11:30a.m. | Deep Learning Theory | Mark Fuge (UMD) |
| 11:30-12:00p.m. | Natural Language Processing Theory | Thurston Sexton (NIST) |
| 12:00-1:00p.m. | Break | |
| 1:00-1:45p.m. | Grooper and Watson Content Analytics | Mackenzie Stevens (NRC) |
| Grooper and Digitizing Success | Kenny Nguyen (NRC) | |
| Enterprise Data Warehouse | Jun Lee (NRC) Bruce Jones (NRC - Contractor) | |
| 1:45-2:30p.m. | Event Management Response Tool (EMRT) and Relief Request Index Project | Nick Mohr (EPRI) |
| Power Industry Dictionary for Text-Mining and Natural Language Processing Application | Karen Kim-Stevens (EPRI) | |
| INPO and Data Science | Paul Steiner (INPO) | |
| 2:30-2:50p.m. | Panel Discussion | |
| 2:50-3:00p.m. | Summary and Path Forward | |
Workshop #2: Current Topics
Purpose:
The second workshop in the Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Regulatory Applications Workshops series is intended to provide an overview of current NRC and industry initiatives to expand and apply data science and AI, including early stage project development and research to solve ongoing issues. Topics in the second workshop will focus on enabling regulatory transformation to increase efficiency, leveraging publicly available data sources such as the agency’s document management system ADAMS, and highlighting current projects which may influence regulatory decisionmaking, provide alternative approaches to traditional analyses, or are seeking to optimize industry efficiency.
Agenda | ||
|---|---|---|
Time | Topic | Presenter |
| 10:00 a.m. – 10:10 a.m. | Introduction and Regulatory Purpose | Jeremy Groom (NRC) |
| 10:10 a.m. – 10:20 a.m. | Autonomous Control Algorithms to Simulate BWR Reactor Cycles | Nazila Tehrani (NRC) |
| 10:20 a.m. – 10:40 a.m. | Machine Learning for Non-Destructive Examination | Carol Nove (NRC) Pradeep Ramuhalli (ORNL) |
| 10:40 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. | Operating Experience Event and Communications Classification | Jason Carneal, Chris Speer (NRC) |
| 11:00 a.m. – 11:20 a.m. | Resource Prediction Using Natural Language Processing | Trey Hathaway (NRC) |
| 11:20 a.m. – 11:40 a.m. | Cloud Infrastructure | Pushpa Jayapal (NRC) Steve Schrader (NRC Contractor) |
| 11:40 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | NRC Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Industry Survey | John Lane (NRC) |
| 12:00 p.m. – 12:15 p.m. | Open Discussion and Questions | |
| 12:15 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. | Break | |
| 1:00 p.m. – 1:20 p.m. | NRC-DOE Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning MOU | Matthew Humberstone (NRC) Felix Gonzalez (DOE) |
| 1:20 p.m. – 1:40 p.m. | NNSA SAFER Project | James O'Brien (NNSA) |
| 1:40 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. | DOE Office of Environment, Health, Safety & Security AI Projects | Felix Gonzalez (DOE) |
| 2:00 p.m. – 2:20 p.m. | Exelon Corrective Action Program Automation and Informed Inspection | Gene Kelly (Exelon) |
| 2:20 p.m. – 2:40 p.m. | Application of Data Analytics to Mine Nuclear Plant Maintenance Data | David Olack (EPRI) |
| 2:40 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. | Panel Discussion and Conclusion | |
Workshop #3: Future Focused Initiatives
The third workshop in the Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Regulatory Applications Workshops series is intended to cover future focused AI-related research and development projects which may impact or address regulatory decisionmaking, explore ways to harness existing data sets relevant to NRC and industry, and discuss areas for potential collaboration. The workshop will provide an opportunity for NRC staff, presenters, and attendees to discuss regulatory and technical issues and make comments about topics discussed during this or previous workshops.
Agenda | ||
|---|---|---|
Time (Eastern) | Topic | Presenter |
| 10:00 a.m. – 10:20 a.m. | Introduction and Regulatory Purpose | Theresa Lalain (NRC) |
| 10:20 a.m. – 10:40 a.m. | NRC Future Focused Research Program | Robert Tregoning (NRC) |
| 10:40 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. | INL AI R&D Activities | Chris Ritter (Idaho National Laboratory) |
| 11:00 a.m. – 11:20 a.m. | SNL Trusted AI Strategic Initiative SNL Information Sciences Initiative | John Feddema (Sandia National Laboratories) Stephen Kleban (Sandia National Laboratories) |
| 11:20 a.m. – 11:40 p.m. | ANL AI R&D Activities | Rick Vilim (Argonne National Laboratory) |
| 11:40 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | Machine Learning for Safeguarding Nuclear Materials | Nathan Shoman (Sandia National Laboratories) |
| 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. | Break | |
| 1:00 p.m. – 1:20 p.m. | Nuclear Applications of Large Language Models | Jerrold Vincent, Bradley Fox (NuclearN) |
| 1:20 p.m. – 1:40 p.m. | Hybrid Physics-Data Driven Model for Prescriptive Control and Design | Satyan Bhongale (X-Energy) |
| 1:40 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. | CAP Automation and Informed Inspection Preparation Project - Update | Tim Alvey (Exelon Nuclear Innovation Group) Drew Miller (Jensen Hughes) Ahmad Al Rashdan (Idaho National Laboratory) |
| 2:00 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. | Panel Session | Curtis Smith (INL) Luis Betancourt (NRC) Thiago Seuaciuc-Osorio (EPRI) James Slider (Nuclear Energy Institute) |
| 2:45 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. | Executive Summary and Path Forward | |
Workshop #4: AI Characteristics for Regulatory Consideration
Purpose:
The fourth workshop in the Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Regulatory Applications Workshops series is intended to provide an opportunity for NRC and interested stakeholders to (1) present AI use cases being developed for nuclear applications, and (2) provide feedback on regulatory and technical issues surrounding AI usage in nuclear applications. Insights from previous workshops informed the development of the NRC’s AI Strategic Plan (NUREG-2261). Table 1, “Notional AI and Autonomy Levels in Commercial Nuclear Activities,” of the AI Strategic Plan presents a notional framework to consider the levels of human-machine interaction with AI systems and serves as a starting point in this public meeting to further discuss the variety of AI characteristics which may affect regulatory considerations at each level. The workshop will provide an opportunity for NRC staff, presenters, and attendees to discuss regulatory and technical issues and provide feedback on topics discussed during this or previous workshops.
| Agenda Workshop #4: AI Characteristics for Regulatory Consideration September 19, 2023 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. ET Hybrid (NRC Headquarters – Commission Hearing Room, Rockville, MD and Microsoft Teams) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Time (Eastern) | Topic | Presenter |
| 10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. | Opening Remarks | Chair Christopher T. Hanson (NRC) |
| 10:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. | AI Characteristics for Regulatory Consideration | Matt Dennis (NRC) |
| 11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. | Panel Session: Regulatory Perspectives on AI | Session Chair – Paul Krohn (NRC) Kevin Lee (CNSC) Andrew White (UK ONR) Ben-Mekki Ayadi, Eric Letang (IRSN) Var Shankar (Responsible AI Institute) |
| 12:15 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. | Break | |
| 1:00 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. | Panel Session: AI Safety, Security and Explainability | Session Chair – Josh Kaizer (NRC) Rick Kuhn (NIST) Ali Raz (George Mason University) Fan Zhang (Georgia Tech) Xu Wu (North Carolina State University) |
| 2:15 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. | Break | |
| 2:30 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. | Panel Session: AI Application Considerations | Session Chair – Jesse Seymour (NRC) Rick Szoch, Jonathan Hodges (Constellation Nuclear, Jensen Hughes) Clint Carter (Utilities Service Alliance) Scott Sidener (Westinghouse) Ryan Miller (TerraPower) |
| 3:45 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. | Open Discussion and Closing | |
Workshop #5: AI Regulatory Framework Applicability Considerations
Purpose:
The fifth workshop in the Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Regulatory Applications Workshops series is intended to provide an opportunity for NRC and interested stakeholders to (1) discuss the outcomes from the regulatory framework applicability assessment of AI in nuclear applications, (2) present AI use cases being developed for nuclear applications, and (3) provide feedback on regulatory and technical issues surrounding AI usage in nuclear applications. The workshop will provide an opportunity for NRC staff, presenters, and attendees to discuss regulatory and technical issues and provide feedback on topics discussed during this or previous workshops. These workshops are part of the agency’s efforts to prepare for safety reviews of future AI applications and support the NRC's AI Project Plan, Revision 0 which describes how the agency will execute the five strategic goals from the AI Strategic Plan (NUREG-2261).
| Agenda Workshop #5: AI Regulatory Framework Applicability Considerations September 17, 2024 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. ET Hybrid (NRC Headquarters, Rockville, MD and Microsoft Teams) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Time (Eastern) | Topic | Presenter |
| 9:00 a.m. – 9:10 a.m. | Opening Remarks | Scott Morris (NRC) |
| 9:10 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. | Advancing the Use of AI at the NRC | Basia Sall (NRC) |
| 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. | Fireside Chat with Other Federal Agencies on AI Activities | Session Chair – Vic Hall (NRC) Scott Flanders (NRC) Robert "Riddle" Houston (DOD CDAO) Samantha Hubner (OMB) James Wolff (NNSA) |
| 10:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. | Break | |
| 10:45 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. | Panel Session: Agency AI Research Activities | Session Chair – Luis Betancourt (NRC) Doug Eskins (NRC) Nazila Tehrani (NRC) Katie McCurry (NRC) |
| 11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | AI Regulatory Gap Analysis Update | Matt Dennis (NRC) Osvaldo Pensado (SwRI) |
| 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. | Lunch Break | |
| 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. | Panel Session: Nuclear Industry AI | Session Chair – Paul Krohn (NRC) Jim Slider (NEI) Jim Lynde (PWROG) Michael Brasel (Blue Wave AI) Ian Davis (X-energy) |
| 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. | Panel Session: AI Innovations for Nuclear Materials, Radioactive Waste and Permitting | Session Chair – Cynthia Barr (NRC) Leonel Lagos (FIU) Nelli Babayan (Microsoft) Dan Nally (PNNL) Tyler Ellis (Commonwealth Fusion) |
| 3:15 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. | Break | |
| 3:30 p.m. – 4:55 p.m. | Open Discussion and Panel Q&A | NRC Facilitators |
| 4:55 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. | Closing | |
NRC AI Symposium 2025: Maintaining Momentum in 2025 - NRC Artificial Intelligence Activities and Stakeholder Progress
Purpose:
Scheduled to coincide with the NRC's 37th annual Regulatory Information Conference (RIC 2025, March 11-13, 2025), the NRC AI Symposium 2025 provided an opportunity for NRC and interested stakeholders to offer brief updates on AI progress since the 5th NRC AI Workshop and participate in an open discussion on regulatory and technical issues surrounding AI usage in nuclear.
| NRC AI Symposium 2025 Agenda Maintaining Momentum in 2025: NRC Artificial Intelligence Activities and Stakeholder Progress Thursday, March 13, 2025 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET Hybrid (NRC Headquarters, Auditorium - Rockville, MD and Microsoft Teams) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Time (Eastern) | Topic | Presenter |
| 1:00 p.m. – 1:10 p.m. | Opening and Logistics | Taylor Lamb, NRC |
| 1:10 p.m. – 1:25 p.m. | AI for a Smarter Tomorrow: NRC’s Strategic Approach | Basia Sall, Katie McCurry, NRC |
| 1:25 p.m. – 1:40 p.m. | AI Strategic Plan Project Plan Updates | Vic Hall, NRC |
| 1:40 p.m. – 1:50 p.m. | Q&A on NRC presentations | |
| 1:50 p.m. – 2:05 p.m. | ACE - A Machine Learning based Core Loading Pattern Optimization Tool + Westinghouse AI Application for Visual Inspections | Johan Hammarström, Björn Andersson, Westinghouse |
| 2:05 p.m. – 2:20 p.m. | Enhancing Document Retrieval in the Nuclear Industry: The TerraPower AI Searchbot Experience | Michael Castillo, TerraPower |
| 2:20 p.m. – 2:35 p.m. | Nuclear Industry Objectives and Experience in Leveraging AI | Kelli Voelsing, NEI |
| 2:35 p.m. – 3:05 p.m. | Break | |
| 3:05 p.m. – 3:20 p.m. | An AI-Driven Cyber-Physical Testbed for Small-Scale Advanced Reactors | Yang Liu, TAMU |
| 3:20 p.m. – 3:35 p.m. | Centralized Nuclear Industry Artificial Intelligence Model | Kenny Comeaux, INPO |
| 3:35 p.m. – 3:50 p.m. | Aligning Innovation with Safety: Adapting AI to an Ever-Changing Nuclear Landscape; AI-Supported Engineering Workflows: Optimizing the Nuclear Site License Renewal Process | Pravallika Devineni, Duke Energy |
| 3:50 p.m. – 4:05 p.m. | Strategic Implementation of Artificial Intelligence for Performance Improvement and Efficiency | Jesse Thomas, Southern |
| 4:05 p.m. – 4:20 p.m. | Creating a Business Focused Independent Working Group on AI in the Nuclear Power Industry | Phil Zeringue, Nuclearn |
| 4:20 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. | Moderated Open Discussion | |
Workshop #6: AI on the Horizon – Aligning Progress with Purpose
Purpose:
The sixth workshop in the NRC Artificial Intelligence Workshop series will offer NRC staff and stakeholders a forum to explore advancements in AI technologies and their intersection with nuclear safety and regulation. This year’s workshop will feature updates on the NRC’s AI Strategic Plan, insights into the agency’s internal use of AI, and presentations from industry leaders and academic experts on the development and application of AI in nuclear contexts. Building on the foundation established in prior workshops, this meeting will continue the dialogue around regulatory and technical considerations for AI use in nuclear applications. The workshop aims to support shared understanding and solicit feedback to inform future regulatory approaches as AI continues to evolve within the nuclear landscape.
Symposium #2: Moving Data and AI Into Practice
Purpose:
The Moving Data and AI into Practice Symposium brought together AI leaders at the U.S. NRC, nuclear industry, academia, and interested stakeholders to share practical experiences surrounding AI usage in nuclear applications. The symposium showcased how emerging data and AI capabilities are being translated into operational use, strengthening regulatory decision-making, improving efficiency, and supporting safety and transparency. This symposium supported a shared understanding and solicited feedback to inform future regulatory approaches as AI continues to evolve within the nuclear landscape.
Contact Information
If you have questions or need further information regarding the workshop(s), please contact the following:
| NRC Contacts: |
|---|
| Matt Dennis Email: Matthew.Dennis@nrc.gov Phone: (301) 415-3702 |
Page Last Reviewed/Updated Tuesday, August 11, 2026
Page Last Reviewed/Updated Tuesday, August 11, 2026