This story was updated at 5:34 p.m. EDT.
Managing a U.S. power grid that delivers more renewable energy and that can survive the ravages of extreme weather and sophisticated hackers will rely on artificial intelligence, the Department of Energy said Monday in a report on AI’s capabilities and its risks.
In DOE’s first major report on AI, analysts said AI is needed to better predict damage from storm surges and flooding, and to pinpoint vulnerabilities in electricity infrastructure. The technology can coordinate faster disaster recovery.
AI can help identify critical materials for advanced nuclear power and energy storage technology. And AI and machine-learning programs can enable grid operators to replace the most dangerously worn-out parts of 70-year-old transmission systems that today pose wildfire threats.
