An industry-transforming system aims to position Britain at the forefront of AI-driven clean energy innovation.
The UK Government has committed £45m to develop a new 1.4MW AI supercomputer designed to support fusion energy research, marking a significant step in integrating artificial intelligence with advanced scientific infrastructure.
The system, named Sunrise, will be based at the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) Culham Campus in Oxfordshire and is expected to become operational by mid-2026.
The project forms part of a broader effort to establish the UK’s first “AI Growth Zone,” combining high-performance computing with national energy research priorities.
Officials position the initiative as both a technological investment and a strategic move to strengthen domestic capabilities in clean energy and AI.
Dr Rob Akers, UKAEA’s Director for Computing Programmes, explained: “UKAEA is taking lessons from the Apollo programme: we learn fastest when we can test, iterate, and improve safely in the virtual world before we commit to our real-world mission.
“Sunrise will bring that capability to fusion by combining high-fidelity simulation with physics-informed AI to develop predictive digital twins that reduce the cost, risk and time of learning that would otherwise require expensive and time-consuming physical testing.
“UKAEA is proud to be working with such a pioneering group of partners to harness AI and high-performance computing at scale to support the UK’s fusion roadmap and Net Zero mission.”
A specialised AI supercomputer for fusion challenges
Unlike general-purpose systems, Sunrise is being developed specifically to address the complex physics and engineering barriers associated with fusion energy.
The supercomputer will focus on modelling plasma behaviour, improving materials used in reactor environments, and advancing tritium fuel cycle technologies.
With a projected performance of up to 6.76 exaflops of AI-accelerated computing, the system will support highly detailed simulations and digital twin models.
These capabilities are expected to enable researchers to test and refine fusion designs virtually, reducing reliance on costly physical experiments.
Collaboration across industry and academia
The Sunrise programme brings together a consortium of public and private sector partners, including AMD, Dell Technologies, Intel, and leading academic institutions such as the University of Cambridge.
Government departments involved span both energy and technology portfolios, reflecting the cross-sector nature of the initiative.
This collaborative model is intended to strengthen the UK’s high-performance computing ecosystem while aligning with national strategies focused on AI development and scientific research.
Dr Paul Calleja, Director of the Cambridge Research Computing Service, added: “Cambridge is proud to be working with UKAEA, Dell, AMD and StackHPC, a UK AI software SME, to co-design, deliver and operate Sunrise, the UK’s latest GPU-accelerated scientific AI supercomputer.
“Sunrise builds on our long-established collaboration with UKAEA, also leveraging Cambridge’s leadership class national supercomputing and sovereign AI portfolio.
“Sunrise is an important first step in the UK’s bold vision to strengthen its sovereign scientific computing capability, accelerate fusion research, and lay the foundations for the Culham AI Growth Zone.”
Supporting long-term fusion goals
Sunrise will contribute directly to several UK fusion programmes. Among them is the Lithium Breeding Tritium Innovation (LIBRTI) initiative, which aims to develop sustainable fuel cycles for future reactors.
The system will also support STEP (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production), the UK’s flagship project targeting a commercially viable fusion power plant in the 2040s.
Beyond fusion, researchers expect the AI supercomputer to generate insights applicable to other areas of clean energy, potentially accelerating progress toward net zero targets.
Strategic implications
The deployment of Sunrise reflects a growing trend of integrating AI supercomputing into scientific discovery.
By focusing computational power on mission-specific challenges, the UK is attempting to shorten development timelines in one of the most technically demanding fields of energy research.
If successful, Sunrise could establish a model for how specialised AI infrastructure can support large-scale scientific and industrial objectives, particularly in sectors where simulation and predictive modelling are critical.