Artificial Intelligence Strategic Plan: Fiscal Years 2023-2027 – Draft Report for Comment (NUREG-2261)

This publication has been issued for public comment. Comments will be accepted until August 19, 2022. To submit comments, please see Docket ID Number NRC-2022-0095.

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Publication Information

Manuscript Completed: June 2022
Date Published: June 2022

Prepared by:
M. Dennis, T. Lalain, L. Betancourt,
A. Hathaway, and R. Anzalone

Matthew Dennis, NRC Project Manager

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Abstract

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recognizes that interest in artificial intelligence (AI) is growing rapidly in both the public and private sectors and anticipates increased use of AI in NRC-regulated activities. For the purposes of this document, AI refers to a machine-based system that can go beyond defined results and scenarios and has the ability to emulate human-like perception, cognition, planning, learning, communication, or physical action. For a given set of human-defined objectives, AI can make predictions, recommendations, or decisions influencing real or virtual environments. The AI Strategic Plan focuses on a broad spectrum of sub-specialties (e.g., natural language processing, machine learning, deep learning, etc.) which could encompass various algorithms and application examples which the NRC has not previously reviewed and evaluated. Anticipating the industry’s potential application of AI to NRC-regulated activities, the NRC has developed a strategic plan to ensure the agency's readiness to review such uses. The strategic plan includes five goals: (1) ensure NRC readiness for regulatory decisionmaking, (2) establish an organizational framework to review AI applications, (3) strengthen and expand AI partnerships, (4) cultivate an AI-proficient workforce, and (5) pursue use cases to build an AI foundation across the NRC. The overall goal of this strategic plan is to ensure continued staff readiness to review and evaluate AI applications effectively and efficiently.