Google will buy nuclear energy generated by small modular reactors (SMRs) in a bid to power its increasing reliance on AI.

SMRs are easier to scale and more affordable than larger nuclear power plants. The entirely factory-built facilities are typically transported as modules and assembled on-site, which reduces construction activity and makes SMRs a commodifiable product.

Google has signed a deal with California’s Kairos Power to build six or seven reactors, with the first being completed in 2030. The search engine giant plans to operate all its data centres and offices on carbon-free energy by 2030 by funding various clean energy projects and technologies.

But despite its efforts, the firm’s carbon emissions have actually increased by 50% over the last five years due to its increasing reliance on AI to power its platforms. AI typically uses a lot of energy because of the computational intensity of its workloads, which require specialised hardware and large amounts of data.

The firm believes...