Lloyd’s Register, a UK-based classification society and advisory service, is integrating Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI service to modernize the regulatory process for nuclear technology. This move aims to expedite licensing procedures and reduce associated costs, potentially paving the way for wider deployment of nuclear technology, especially in challenging areas like floating nuclear power and maritime applications.
This initiative marks a significant step, positioning Lloyd’s Register among the first in the maritime industry to leverage generative AI. The technology will analyze historical licensing data, enabling licensing engineers to draft permitting documents faster and more efficiently. Furthermore, it will facilitate quicker retrieval of critical information within substantial regulatory datasets, streamlining the review process and minimizing human effort.
Mark Tipping, LR’s Global Offshore Power To X Director, emphasized the potential of this collaboration. “We have a large data source from decades of regulatory applications which these AI capabilities can interrogate swiftly to identify good practice and lessons learned,” he stated. “Together, we’re tackling one of the biggest challenges in deploying nuclear technology, which is navigating complex, slow, and costly licensing processes.”
Darryl Willis, Microsoft CVP of the Energy and Resources Industry, highlighted the partnership’s commitment to sustainability: “This collaboration underscores our commitment to harnessing the power of AI to drive innovation and advance sustainability across sectors.”
The AI technology could greatly reduce the time and cost required for regulatory approvals. This is vital for making nuclear energy a financially viable clean energy option. The companies involved aim to support the development of advanced nuclear power solutions, including nuclear power barges and reactors designed for cargo vessels.
This strategic collaboration comes at a time when governments and private firms globally are actively developing nuclear technology to meet civilian and commercial energy demands. Recent advancements include the development of new nuclear research facilities in the US, advancements in microreactor technology, and the UK government’s recent initiatives to revive civilian nuclear power, with a focus on small modular reactors and reducing costs.
By adopting generative AI, Lloyd’s Register hopes to accelerate the adoption of nuclear energy across various countries by generating the right documentation in shorter time frames, enabling faster approvals, and thereby helping the technology meet rising global demand for efficient and reliable nuclear sources.
