Meta’s nuclear deal signals AI’s growing energy needs

Meta’s deal to help revive an Illinois nuclear power plant was one way of signaling that the parent company of Facebook and Instagram is preparing for a future built with artificial intelligence.

Meta’s 20-year deal with Constellation Energy follows similar maneuvers from Amazon, Google and Microsoft, but it will take years before nuclear energy can meet the tech industry’s insatiable demand for new sources of electricity.

AI uses vast amounts of energy, much of which comes from burning fossil fuels, which causes climate change. The unexpected…