Energy Expands Decades-long Relationship with Artificial Intelligence

The Department of Energy's (DOE) relationship with Artificial Intelligence (AI) began in the early 1960s when the Advanced Scientific Computing Research (ASCR) program developed massively parallel input/output systems and linear algebra routines.

Since then, the agency has continued its research and development (R&D) efforts to leverage AI power for missions including energy production, weapons advancement, environmental and climate protection and medical sciences. Under the Department of Energy’s AI Act the agency is establishing dedicated AI centers at the national laboratories. Most recently, the agency awarded $68M under the Advancement in Artificial Intelligence for Science opportunity to fund 11 three-year multi-institutional projects to develop AI foundation models to automate laboratory workflows, accelerate scientific programming and protect privacy.

The Department’s strategic AI priorities include:

• AI/ML for Cyber: DOE national laboratories continue collaborating with academic institutions and industry to develop secure AI/ML tools for detecting and mitigating cyberattacks and investigating joint AI/quantum processes to increase analysis and data discovery efficiencies.
• AI at Office of Critical and Emerging Technologies: The FY 2025 $5.0M budget request includes funds to maximize investments in AI governance, departmental oversight, development of strategic outlook, and public, private and government collaboration.
• AI Supercomputing: Energy is leveraging department-wide AI for core research and development activities and high-performance computing support. This includes the new Venada supercomputer system that will incorporate AI/ML for processing large volumes of national security and scientific research data across the national laboratories.
• Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence for Science, Security and Technology (FASST): The FASST initiative will leverage the agency’s supercomputing resources, scientific work data and scientists’ experience to create a new AI initiative to help solve mission-critical challenges.
• Advanced Research Directions on AI for Energy: The AI for Energy Report addressed advanced research challenges in nuclear energy, power grid, carbon management, energy storage and energy materials. The report outlines “Grand Challenges” that remain unsolved by conventional methods and critical areas that will drive investments beyond FY 2025.

Learn More about DOE AI/ML Plans

DOE ‘s Office of Critical and Emerging Technologies (OCET), established in December 2023, maintains the nation’s leadership role in technological advancements such as AI/ML, quantum computing and biotechnology. The office partners with the Department’s 17 National Laboratories, Program Offices and the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) industry and academia toward maintaining this leadership role. The NNSA serves as the Information Technology (IT) arm of the DOE, but federal AI/ML funds are typically embedded within the large laboratory Operations and Maintenance contracts and other programs. The agency also awards AI projects through subcontracts and Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grants, cooperative agree including those funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). Since 2021, Energy has received more than $62B in BIL for projects that included AI projects for grid resilience, clean energy demonstration and advanced energy technology.

Federal contracting obligations for AI are often embedded within existing projects and programs so spending data cannot be completely segregated. Furthermore, reported contract spending fluctuates depending on the types of R&D programs, budget appropriations and new technological developments as shown in the chart below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deltek’s recent Federal Artificial Intelligence (AI) Market, 2024-2028 provides additional information on the agency’s AI-related spending trends, federal policies and strategies shaping future activities. The Deltek Federal IT Market, 2024-FY 2025 Federal Budget Request: Priorities and Opportunities gives an in-depth look at the Department’s proposed IT allocations for the coming fiscal year including AI/ML efforts. Finally, Deltek’s GovWin Solution enables federal contractors to identify, track and analyze opportunities to create a strategic contracting pipeline.