There was no shortage of conjecture regarding the future of artificial intelligence in 2024, yet one aspect of AI most analysts, proponents and sceptics agree on is the amount of energy the game-changing technology requires.
By most estimates, a simple query to ChatGPT, which helped expose many more users to AI, uses 10 times more energy than a similar search on Google.
“In the training models like ChatGPT, you have lots of parameters … you have these large models with large parameters that are gobbling a lot of the energy up,” said Steven Chu, a former US energy secretary who served under president Barack Obama, during a recent speech in Abu Dhabi about AI's impact on electricity.
AI requires data centres, and those data centres need a lot of electricity, which some say will increasingly rely on a nuclear energy renaissance, especially in the US.
According to the International Energy Agency, data centres currently account for about 1 per cent of global electricity consumption, yet projections from a Goldman Sachs report indicate that by 2030 the proliferation of data centres in the US could bump that share to 8 per cent.
This need to meet the growing energy demand prompted by AI development was galvanised in recent months, with an announcement that Three Mile Island's Unit 1 nuclear reactor in Pennsylvania would be restarted as part of 20-year power purchase agreement with Microsoft.
“Under the agreement, Microsoft will purchase energy from the renewed plant as part of its goal to help match the power its data centres,” read a news release in part, from Constellation energy, which said described the power purchase agreement as the “largest ever”.
Besides the sheer size of the agreement, the announcement made headlines around the world for another reason.
Nuclear accident fears cast a long shadow
Three Mile Island was the site of the one of the biggest nuclear accidents in US history. In 1979, the core of the plant's Unit 2 was partially exposed, leading to a temporary evacuation of the nearby area and a lengthy clean-up.
There is still debate and continuing studies about the potential health effects stemming from the accident.
Constellation briefly touched upon the 1979 accident in its September news release.
“The Unit 1 reactor is located adjacent to TMI Unit 2, which shut down in 1979 and is in the process of being decommissioned by its owner, Energy Solutions,” the Constellation said. “TMI Unit 1 is a fully independent facility, and its long-term operation was not impacted by the Unit 2 accident.”
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro also signalled his support for the nuclear renaissance amid the news about Constellation's plan to restart TMI.
“Pennsylvania’s nuclear energy industry plays a critical role in providing safe, reliable, carbon-free electricity that helps reduce emissions and grow Pennsylvania’s economy,” he said.
Microsoft is not alone in its push to meet the energy needs of data centres. Alphabet, parent company of Google, along with Amazon, Oracle, OpenAI and other tech giants have recently expressed interest in using small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) to help meet energy needs.
Yet even though recent public polling indicates US support for nuclear energy and innovation in the sector is on the rise, it is not without critics, many of whom say there is still plenty of opposition and cause for concern amid what some have described as a nuclear energy rebirth amid the AI tech boom.
“We’re in the middle of a nuclear zeitgeist which is mindless,” said Eric Epstein, director of Three Mile Island Alert, a grass roots safe energy organisation founded in 1977, two years before the Unit 2 accident.
“You can be euphoric and you can be wildly pronuclear … but at the end of the day nuclear is an economic fiction,” he told The National, referring to federal and state subsidies that often assist the US nuclear industries.
Because of the sheer number of jobs promised by the reboot of Three Mile Island, Mr Epstein said he is not surprised by elected officials' and corporate support for the announcement, but that his group will continue to oppose anything it believes present safety problems.
“We're currently a radioactive waste site,” he said, referring to the radioactive fuel in Unit 1, which was closed in 2019, and Unit 2, the site of the accident in 1979, which is still radioactive.
“We're also an island that floods in a river that empties into the Chesapeake Bay. If you could have choreographed the worst place to put a nuclear waste site, it would be Three Mile Island.”
Mr Epstein also said that tax dollars from those who live near Three Mile Island will ultimately be spent, yet the energy created by a reopened plant will not be going to those who are helping to foot the bill.
“Starting a zombie nuclear plant to provide electricity to data centres, inanimate beings in northern Virginia, Illinois and Ohio, that's worth fighting against,” he explained.
He also critiqued Constellation's plans to change the name of the plant from Three Mile Island to Crane Clean Energy centre.
Whether or not nuclear energy should be classified as clean energy has been hotly debate for decades. Proponents point out that it is significantly cleaner than coal.
In addition, can create long-term jobs and potential economic booms for the towns in which nuclear reactors operate.
“Renewed interest in nuclear energy has spread globally as nations seek to electrify their economies to support the digital economy and address the climate crisis,” Constellation said.
“Among their many attributes, nuclear plants can reliably produce carbon-free energy 24/7 in all weather and run for up to two years without needing to be refuelled.”
Yet the shadow of radioactive fears from the 1979 accident at Three Mile Island, Chernobyl's deadly 1986 explosion and Fukushima's 2011 disaster loom large in the minds of many as proof that nuclear is only safe on paper.
Those fears, however, are about to go up against the AI appetite for energy, and that is something not lost on Mr Epstein, who shows no sign of slowing down his efforts to raise awareness about Three Mile Island.
“AI is becoming an national obsession, which means all safeguards, all supports, all logic, will be thrown to the wind,” he said.
Constellation energy said that, pending approval from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Three Mile Island's Unit 1 is expected to restart in 2028.
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10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
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Generation Start-up: Awok company profile
Started: 2013
Founder: Ulugbek Yuldashev
Sector: e-commerce
Size: 600 plus
Stage: still in talks with VCs
Principal Investors: self-financed by founder
The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
The five pillars of Islam
Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
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Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Rameez Shahzad, Shaiman Anwar, Adnan Mufti, Mohammed Usman, Ghulam Shabbir, Ahmed Raza, Qadeer Ahmed, Amir Hayat, Mohammed Naveed and Imran Haider.
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Water waste
In the UAE’s arid climate, small shrubs, bushes and flower beds usually require about six litres of water per square metre, daily. That increases to 12 litres per square metre a day for small trees, and 300 litres for palm trees.
Horticulturists suggest the best time for watering is before 8am or after 6pm, when water won't be dried up by the sun.
A global report published by the Water Resources Institute in August, ranked the UAE 10th out of 164 nations where water supplies are most stretched.
The Emirates is the world’s third largest per capita water consumer after the US and Canada.
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
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Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
