Google, Amazon buy nonexistent mini nuclear reactors for AI data centers : techtakes

[–] zbyte64@awful.systems 15 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

I swear they looked at Bill Gates failing to launch SMRs and thought: "he's a smart guy"

[–] blakestacey@awful.systems 17 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

Google has signed a deal with California startup Kairos Power for six or seven small modular reactors. The first is due in 2030

So, well after the bubble is going to pop.

[–] Zorsith@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Oh no, they created the means to generate non-fossil-fuel energy for nothing /s

[–] swlabr@awful.systems 13 points 1 day ago

Who knew that the only thing stopping nuclear power, the most morally and environmentally correct power source (uranium is only produced by popes shitting in the woods), was that Google and Amazon hadn’t thrown money in the direction of Chernobyl first. It was so simple this whole time. Now it’s solved and I can go back to gaming.

[–] o7___o7@awful.systems 15 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Of all the things that will never happen, this is the one that will never happen the most.

[–] bitofhope@awful.systems 11 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

I give it slightly higher odds than AGI.

Edit: or cryptocurrency replacing fiat

[–] Moonrise2473@feddit.it 13 points 2 days ago

At least is technically feasible (although completely impossible to do in that timeframe)

Unlike the cold fusion energy deal that Microsoft greenwashed last year that's pure science fiction (invent, create, test and build a cold fusion reactor in just 4 years: impossible unless they got a time machine or found some alien tech in a remote cave)

[–] NigelFrobisher@aussie.zone 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I got into the wrong business.

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[–] BasiqueEvangelist@mstdn.social 3 points 1 day ago

@dgerard somebody should found a startup and sell ASMRs to Google and Amazon

[+] Broken_Monitor@lemmy.world -6 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (4 children)

Alright so you can have them funding the next generation of nuclear power, which would eventually bring this new form into the mainstream by having them deal with the costs associated with ironing out any issues they have and very likely making it economically viable…

Or…

These tech companies can use fossil fuels to power their AI. Like it or not, they arent going to stop developing AI and data centers. They need the power either way. Solar and wind won’t keep up with that level of demand and tech companies know it. So choose. Nuclear, or fossil fuels?

[–] dgerard@awful.systems 19 points 2 days ago (3 children)

as you will discover if you read, the use case for SMRs is to keep doing coal

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[–] bitofhope@awful.systems 17 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Like it or not, they arent going to stop developing AI and data centers.

Well they should. I'm not giving them credit for investing in vaporware nuclear plants when the ostensible plan is to waste all the power on glue pizza recipes.

I wish they at least put that money in real and known working designs available right now so at least when the fad is dead, we can maybe use that power for something else. Or they can maybe have the tiniest decency to unfuck their search engine or whatever.

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[–] FredFig@awful.systems 13 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

You're correct that I can't stop them from making pants on head stupid decisions, but I'm not going to stop making fun of them.

very likely making it economically viable…

They're going to fund currently economically nonviable nuclear plants to power their currently economically nonviable genAI schemes? Over the time horizon of ~~25 years~~ a decade (edit: misread the article) before they scale up energy capacity at all past the rnd stage? Maybe pants on head is too generous.

[+] Broken_Monitor@lemmy.world -10 points 2 days ago (6 children)

I’m not crunching the numbers over here, but they must be making money off AI if they’re doing this. I’m sure they have further plans that aren’t public yet.

I’m not a fan of AI, so if Microsoft or Google ends up in a dumpster fire because of all this I will never stop laughing about it. I just don’t expect it.

[–] V0ldek@awful.systems 16 points 1 day ago (1 children)

but they must be making money off X if they’re doing this.

is such a laughable, ridiculous thing to say, like what the fuck dude, where did you get this idea from even

[+] Broken_Monitor@lemmy.world -13 points 1 day ago (14 children)

Yeah corporations love spending massive amounts of money on projects with no return on their investment. Microsoft is signing a 20 year contract for massive amounts of power for funsies, and totally handing out copilot licenses for free to all the other corporations that are adopting it.

Have you ever sat in a meeting with corporate people? All they every think about is money money and more money. Laugh all you want - MS is doing the laughing as every company scrambles to adopt AI purely out of fear of being left behind, and they are paying for it. The install base is already so huge for the OS, this is the easiest payout they could ask for. They have to shit the bed HARD to fuck this up.

[–] blakestacey@awful.systems 10 points 1 day ago (1 children)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Bob

[–] froztbyte@awful.systems 7 points 1 day ago

thank you for reminding me of this which I forget

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[–] skillissuer@discuss.tchncs.de 16 points 1 day ago (1 children)

they're not. chatgpt4 burns more energy than subscription is worth, and that was text only and before that 4o shitshow

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[–] o7___o7@awful.systems 17 points 2 days ago

I’m not crunching the numbers over here, but they must be making money off AI if they’re doing this.

Sounds familiar...

[–] swlabr@awful.systems 14 points 1 day ago

I’m sure they have further plans that aren’t public yet.

Nah dawg you’re just too stupid to see how bubbles work.

[–] FredFig@awful.systems 12 points 1 day ago

Meta's happy to give away models for free, so models are evidently worth $0.

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[–] o7___o7@awful.systems 11 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Try option three. No one is going to pay for any of that because LLMs are useless machines.

Fun Fact: it took 42 years to start Watts Bar Unit 2.

[+] disguy_ovahea@lemmy.world -12 points 2 days ago (1 children)

This is promising. The high energy demands of AI has big tech investing in the field of small modular reactors (SMR).

[–] self@awful.systems 12 points 1 day ago (1 children)

how do you do, fellow kid. tell me more about the field of shitty muclear reactors (SMR)

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