Leveraging AI to accelerate fusion
At First Light Fusion, artificial intelligence (AI) is a central component of our ongoing research programme.
Realising Inertial Fusion Energy (IFE) requires us to design incredibly complex physical systems where data is limited due to the high cost of computer simulations and real-world experiments. Success relies on our ability to accurately and quickly simulate extreme physical phenomena, from plasma dynamics to high-velocity impacts, before we ever run a physical test.
At First Light, we are leveraging cutting edge methods in probabilistic AI to build bespoke models that can rapidly predict the performance of new amplifier designs in a fusion reaction, in a fraction of a second and at a fraction of the cost of real-world experiments.
Probabilistic AI
Probabilistic AI refers to artificial intelligence systems that use probability theory to model, reason, and make decisions under uncertainty. Instead of producing fixed, deterministic outputs, probabilistic AI systems estimate the likelihood of different outcomes and provide probability distributions over possible answers or actions. Crucially, probabilistic AI recognises that in many real-world situations, data is incomplete, noisy, or ambiguous - helping support experimental decision making when the 'right' choice isn't always clear cut. Probabilistic AI systems also constantly update their beliefs as new data is received.
Our probabilistic AI models play a vital role in helping us understand how our amplifier designs are likely to perform under the extreme pressures and temperatures created in a fusion reaction.
Constantly evolving
Our AI and data science capabilities support every stage of the fusion research, development, and design process — from optimising the design of fusion targets or power-plant schemes, to modeling plasma dynamics and experimental outcomes, analysing results and calibrating physics models. We believe in an approach rooted in continual improvement. Our AI-driven models are continuously updated with new experimental data, improving their fidelity and predictive capability over time. This allows our teams to better understand the nuanced behavior of the experiments, ensuring that simulations become more accurate as more data is collected.
Our teams are using the most sophisticated, cutting-edge methods in AI every day to enhance model calibration and reduce uncertainties in simulations. By accelerating the refinement of experimental setups and reducing risks in each stage of fusion research, AI is bringing First Light ever closer to its goal of achieving commercial fusion energy.