Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA
“The work of the IAEA is at the centre of the debates. In particular, the nexus between nuclear energy and artificial intelligence has attracted a lot of attention,” the Director General said in Davos.
The IAEA held a session on nuclear’s role in meeting energy demands for artificial intelligence (AI), with experts from Bloomberg and technology venture capitalists DCVC. “Big tech needs nuclear to power energy-intensive AI data centres,” explained Mr Grossi.
A major event was also held on tripling nuclear energy, and the need for standardization, regulation, financing and collaboration in scaling up nuclear.
A few years ago, discussions might have been about phasing out nuclear energy.
Today, at @wef #WEF25, we’re on “the road to tripling nuclear capacity”. This shows how nuclear is increasingly seen as essential for net-zero and energy transition.
Watch ↓ https://t.co/P9oRXGX2Dg
— Rafael MarianoGrossi (@rafaelmgrossi) January 21, 2025
The Director General met with multiple world leaders to discuss development, energy and world peace, including Panama’s President Jose Raul Mulino, Israel’s President Isaac Herzog, Austria’s Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg and Flanders’ Minister-President Matthias Diependaele.
Mr Grossi and Mr Mulino engaged on the IAEA’s Atoms4Food programme, as well as improving cancer care with the IAEA’s Rays Of Hope programme. “The IAEA is proud to stand with Panama in building a healthier, more resilient future for its people,” the Director General said.
The IAEA’s work on health, food and nutrition was a focus of multiple high-level dialogues. For example, Mr Grossi met with Viet Nam’s Minister of Science and Technology Huynh Thanh Dat to discuss the drought-tolerant, high-yield rice varieties that were developed with IAEA support, and with the CEO of Anglo American, Duncan Wanblad, on progress on a joint research project to fight soil salinity and advance sustainable farming practices.
Another key topic for the week was international security, particularly the IAEA’s role in ensuring nonproliferation worldwide.
The Director General was a speaker at the World Economic Forum’s Rubik’s Cube of Global Security, where he addressed pressures on nonproliferation amid rising geostrategic tensions, alongside Finland’s President Alexander Stubb, Libya’s Prime Minister Abdulhamid AlDabaiba, the International Crisis Group, Comfort Ero, Harvard Kennedy School’s Meghan O’Sullivan, and Foreign Affairs Magazine’s Dan Kurtz-Phelan.
Addressed pressures on nonproliferation amid rising geostrategic tensions at @wef #WEF25 Rubik’s Cube of Global Security. In today’s complex geopolitical landscape, the nonproliferation regime remains indispensable and, despite challenges, it has served the global community well. pic.twitter.com/58oDiyHuTv
— Rafael MarianoGrossi (@rafaelmgrossi) January 22, 2025
Watch the recording of the session here.
The Director General was also active in closed sessions on artificial intelligence and sustainable energy in Latin America with leaders of the region, as well as an event on growing the African economy with leaders from the continent.
“The mission and the importance of the IAEA continue to grow. This is why we are here in Davos,” concluded the Director General.