Sun Xuan of USTC: AI May "Consume" One-Fifth of Global Electricity, Nuclear Fusion is the Ultimate Energy Battle
"Many people have likely heard this saying: The end goal of AI is energy, and the end goal of energy is fusion." On September 11, Sun Xuan, Professor at the School of Nuclear Science and Technology of the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) and Founder/Chairman of Xingneng Xuanguang, stated at the 2025 Inclusion·Bund Summit Opening Ceremony and Main Forum that nuclear fusion is a key technology to unlock the next generation of civilization.
Sun Xuan believes that the world is in a once-in-a-century era, where the rise of AI is exponentially increasing global energy consumption, and nuclear fusion is the ultimate solution to this challenge. Once achieved, nuclear fusion will not only bring about an energy revolution and trigger an industrial revolution but also represent a critical step toward utilizing the most universal energy in the universe and advancing to a higher-level civilization.
Sun Xuan explained that the core scientific challenge of achieving nuclear fusion lies in confining plasma at temperatures exceeding hundreds of millions of degrees Celsius, "somewhat like trying to cage a temperamental beast—it is very difficult." Currently, the mainstream technologies pursuing controllable nuclear fusion are divided into two directions: laser inertial confinement and magnetic confinement, both of which require extremely high engineering standards. Whether developing immensely precise giant lasers or constructing behemoths on the scale of ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor), the challenges include high costs and long construction periods.
To address this, the academic community has proposed a hybrid approach called "magnetized inertial confinement," which significantly reduces costs and construction time while improving iterative efficiency. However, this new fusion pathway presents a "challenge to human intelligence," relying on human understanding of the physical processes involved—this is where AI technology can play a role.
According to a report released by the Fusion Industry Association (FIA) in July 2024, global commercial nuclear fusion companies have raised a cumulative total investment of $7.1 billion, an increase of $900 million year-on-year, with capital market financing repeatedly hitting new highs. Among the 35 companies surveyed, 89% are optimistic about achieving grid-connected power generation by the late 2030s.
"The advancement of AI represents the evolution of human intelligence from carbon-based to silicon-based, while fusion represents humanity's transition from utilizing existing energy forms on Earth to cosmic energy forms. The realization of either would signify the arrival of a new era. If the two can join forces, they may accelerate the advent of this great era," Sun Xuan stated. "When the future arrives, we may not even realize it."
