When the fusion frenzy meets AI

Plus, BYD didn't just pass Tesla last year, it left its rival in the dust

In today’s edition:

— A leading fusion research company linked with Nvidia to develop the technology using AI

— Passing Tesla on the right. BYD becomes global leader in EV sales

— Up s . . t’s creek. How does Iowa keep track of 110 billion pounds of hog manure each year without getting it in the waterways? It doesn’t.

— Finally, it’s gotten cold enough in northern Italy to ‘farm’ snow for the Winter Olympics

— Which states have the most forest cover, vital to healthy ecosystems and carbon balance?

Recent cold temps have eased organizers’ worries about making enough snow for the Milano Cortina 2026 winter Olympic Games starting in a month. Read more below. Cross-country skiing and Nordic combined will be held at the Tesero resort, above, in northern Italy’s Val di Fiemme. Photo: Olympics.com.

As the stock market starts a new year with a tentative rally, two of last year’s building blocks of speculation — AI and nuclear fusion technology — signaled that not only do they have further to run, but that they will join forces to do it.

Jumping on the AI rally train, Commonwealth Fusion Systems, one of the leading early developers of the nascent fusion energy technology, said it would join forces with Nvidia NVDA 0.00%↑ and Siemens to use AI to dramatically speed up its research.

Announcing the deal at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the CEOs of each of the companies said they would work together to create a “digital twin” of CFS’s demonstration machine in Boston so that further research can be accelerated using AI software programs as well as the machine itself.

The idea is enticing and could finally be the push fusion needs to get over the hype stage and become an actual technology. It also makes infinite sense to use AI to help test fusion possibilities. But with a long way to go to make this happen. CFS has said it won’t be ready to show it can generate net energy through fusion in Boston until at least 2027 or begin commercial scaling until years after that.

For now, the deal remains another building block in the hype machine around AI that continues to enthrall investors — and tech companies — for a fourth year running.

If you have ideas or suggestions for us, contact me directly at
dcallaway@callawayclimateinsights.com.

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Photo: BYD.

Passing Tesla on the right