Bees reportedly stopped Meta from constructing a nuclear-powered AI information heart

Meta had plans to construct an AI information heart within the US that depends on nuclear energy — it even already knew the place it needed the power to be constructed. In line with the Financial Times, although, the corporate needed to scrap its plans, as a result of the a uncommon bee species was found on the land reserved for the undertaking. Firm chief Mark Zuckerberg was reportedly prepared to shut a take care of an current nuclear energy plant operator that would offer emissions-free power to the plant. The Occasions mentioned he advised workers members at an all-hands final week that pushing by would not have been doable, as a result of the corporate would encounter quite a few regulatory challenges as a result of bees’ discovery.

Zuckerberg reportedly advised his workers that Meta would’ve had the primary nuclear-powered AI if the deal had gone forward. It nonetheless may come true if the corporate might discover a method, but it surely has to maneuver rapidly as a result of its greatest rivals are investing in nuclear power, as properly. In September, Microsoft revealed that it intends to revive the Three Mile Island nuclear energy plant to supply power for its AI efforts. In the meantime, Google teamed up with startup Kairos Power to construct seven small nuclear reactors within the US to energy its information facilities beginning in 2030. After which there’s Amazon, which announced three agreements with completely different corporations to construct small modular reactors in mid-October.

The Occasions did not say whether or not Meta is searching for a brand new web site — one that does not have uncommon bees dwelling in its neighborhood. Certainly one of its sources solely mentioned that Meta remains to be exploring varied offers for emissions-free power, together with nuclear, to energy its future AI information facilities.