Rolls-Royce is aiming to harness its nuclear reactors to power artificial intelligence (AI), a move its chief executive believes could make it the most valuable company in the UK. Reports Technology News
The engineering giant has secured agreements to supply small modular reactors (SMRs) to both the UK and Czech governments. Since AI’s surge in popularity in 2022, concerns have grown over the vast amounts of energy the technology consumes, raising both practical and environmental questions.
Speaking to the BBC, chief executive Tufan Erginbilgic said the company has the “potential” to overtake the largest players on the London Stock Exchange, driven by its SMR projects. “There is no private company in the world with the nuclear capability we have. If we are not market leader globally, we did something wrong,” he stated.
Under Erginbilgic’s leadership since January 2023, Rolls-Royce’s share price has risen tenfold. Despite this remarkable growth, he has dismissed any plans for a New York listing—an option pursued by British chip designer Arm and considered by major firms like Shell and AstraZeneca in search of higher valuations.
