The OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) and the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) co-hosted an international workshop on artificial intelligence for nuclear energy on May 4-5, 2026 at the International Convention Center in Jeju Island, South Korea. Held under the theme of Build an AI playbook to accelerate adoption and reduce coststhe workshop brought together more than 170 policymakers, industry and technology representatives, experts, and emerging leaders to better understand how artificial intelligence (AI) can transform nuclear energy across its lifecycle.
Throughout the two-day technical program, discussions were highlighted on how AI is already delivering tangible value in the nuclear sector. Participants emphasized that the main challenge is not developing the algorithms themselves, but increasing adoption through high-quality data governance, explainability, regulatory-grade evidence, and integration into engineering and maintenance workflows. A real-world example showed how AI can directly link plant performance data to operational and economic decisions at the fleet scale.
The exchange highlighted that the impact of AI is expanding far beyond operations to applications in knowledge management, new build programs, and demolition, with information complexity becoming an increasingly important constraint. Throughout all discussions, participants emphasized the importance of aligning deployments with internationally recognized frameworks, particularly regarding transparency, accountability, robustness and human oversight. A strong consensus has emerged that AI in nuclear energy must remain resolutely human-centered, while engineers retain judgment and responsibility in safety-critical environments. The challenge in this field is now shifting from isolated AI tools to developing a trusted industrial ecosystem that brings together data, engineering expertise, operational workflows, and partnerships across the nuclear value chain.
The winning team from the NEA Coding Competition held in March of this year was also featured during the workshop.
In a hands-on AI session held at the edge of the workshop, participants were invited to participate in an interactive session on AI fundamentals, try out generative AI tools and solutions, learn how to predict failures and detect anomalies, and create tools with clear and professional visualizations.
