Researchers at Princeton have developed an artificial intelligence (AI) model that may have brought us a step closer to achieving nuclear fusion energy. Fusion, the process of combining atomic nuclei to create new nuclei and subatomic particles, has long been seen as a clean and virtually limitless energy source. However, achieving fusion is extremely challenging due to the high temperatures and pressures required. The Princeton team claims to have solved a major problem in fusion by using AI to predict and avoid tearing instabilities in the plasma. The AI was trained on data from previous experiments and developed a control policy to maintain stable plasma conditions. The team successfully tested the AI model at the DIII-D National Fusion Facility. While this is a promising proof of concept, more data is needed to demonstrate its effectiveness in different situations. The research is published in the journal Nature.
