Nuclear clouds: the infrastructural convergence of AI and energy systems

This short commentary maps the convergence of industrial AI infrastructures and national energy systems, with a focus on the role that nuclear power plays in these ambitions. Drawing from examples from the US and the UK, we start tracing the political economy and techno-political rationalities behind the shift from what previous commentators described as the Carbon Cloud (or the mutual dependency between the AI industry and fossil fuels) to what we term here the Nuclear Cloud, or the growing convergence of the AI and nuclear sector.

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Publication Details

Journal
Journal of Cultural Economy
Published
2026-04-20
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1080/17530350.2026.2654538
Primary Topic
Innovation, Sustainability, Human-Machine Systems
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

Nuclear clouds: the infrastructural convergence of AI and energy systems

Ludovico Rella, Benedetta Catanzariti, A. Giacometti
Journal of Cultural Economy
Innovation, Sustainability, Human-Machine Systems
article

Nuclear clouds: the infrastructural convergence of AI and energy systems

Ludovico Rella, Benedetta Catanzariti, A. Giacometti
article en

Abstract

This short commentary maps the convergence of industrial AI infrastructures and national energy systems, with a focus on the role that nuclear power plays in these ambitions. Drawing from examples from the US and the UK, we start tracing the political economy and techno-political rationalities behind the shift from what previous commentators described as the Carbon Cloud (or the mutual dependency between the AI industry and fossil fuels) to what we term here the Nuclear Cloud, or the growing convergence of the AI and nuclear sector.

Journal of Cultural Economy
Durham University (GB), University of Edinburgh (GB)
British Academy
Openalex Percentile: Top 17%
Innovation, Sustainability, Human-Machine Systems
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