AI Giants Pour $15 Billion Into Nuclear Fusion Startups as Microsoft and Google Sign Power Deals for Data Centers
Summary
AI giants including Microsoft and Google pump $15 billion into nuclear fusion startups, signing massive power deals as energy-hungry data centers drive demand, with Helion Energy promising commercial fusion by 2028 and recent breakthroughs accelerating timeline from decades to years.
Key Points
- AI industry leaders including Sam Altman, Google, and Microsoft are investing billions in nuclear fusion startups, with total industry funding jumping from $1.7 billion in 2020 to $15 billion in 2025 to power energy-hungry AI data centers
- Helion Energy plans to deliver commercial fusion power by 2028 and has signed a deal with Microsoft for 50 megawatts, while Commonwealth Fusion Systems targets grid delivery in the early 2030s with Google already agreeing to buy 200 megawatts
- Recent breakthroughs include Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory achieving scientific break-even in 2022, and multiple startups now promise grid power within years rather than decades using various fusion approaches