Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Regulatory Applications Workshops

On this page:

• Overview
• Workshop Topics and Registration
• 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
• 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 #5: AI Regulatory Framework Applicability Considerations	9:00am – 5:00pm ET	Tuesday, September 17, 2024	NRC Headquarters (Auditorium) – Rockville, MD and Microsoft Teams Meeting	CLOSED

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 Workshop #2: Current Topics August 18, 2021 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. ET Virtual (Microsoft Teams)
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 Workshop #3: Future Focused Initiatives November 9, 2021 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. ET Virtual (Microsoft Teams)
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

Contact Information

If you have questions or need further information regarding the workshop, please contact the following:

NRC Contacts:
Matt Dennis Email: Matthew.Dennis@nrc.gov Phone: (301) 415-3702