Licensee first — Artificial Intelligence prototype

On this page:

The finding
Other regulators
Workshop
How the NRC uses AI
Plans

The NRC does not regulate artificial intelligence as a technology. It evaluates AI-enabled tools inside activities it already licenses and inspects. In October 2024 the staff reviewed the regulations and more than 500 regulatory guides and found the framework generally sufficient, with specific places that need clarification.

If you are preparing a submittal

Start with the October 2024 report, Regulatory Framework Gap Assessment for the Use of Artificial Intelligence in Nuclear Applications (ML24290A059). The staff reviewed the regulations and more than 500 regulatory guides. The framework was found generally sufficient, with specific places that need clarification.

The public site does not yet say, item by item, what to put in an application. Until that list is published, use the contact form and the workshop record below. A made-up filing checklist does not belong on this page.

Work with other regulators

Considerations for Developing Artificial Intelligence Systems in Nuclear Applications (PDF) September 5, 2024. ML24241A252. Principles paper with the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission and the United Kingdom Office for Nuclear Regulation.
Preparing to review AI in regulated activities Includes the natural-language work with France’s ASNR and Germany’s GRS, and the Future Focused Research projects.

Public workshop

The NRC hosted a public workshop at headquarters on September 24, 2025, on the gap assessment and on evaluating AI technologies. The next date belongs here when it is set.

How the NRC uses AI

Four generative tools are on the public inventory. All four are marked not high-impact under the Office of Management and Budget’s definition. That flag is in the spreadsheet today. It is on this page so a reader does not have to open the file.

SimplifAI

Text retrieval for staff.

Identifier: NRC-0001
Stage: Deployed
Vendor: TekSynap
Operational: August 1, 2025
High-impact: Not high-impact

Microsoft 365 Copilot and Copilot Chat

A commercial assistant available to staff. The inventory says this use touches personal data.

Identifier: NRC-0002
Stage: Deployed
Vendor: Microsoft
Operational: June 1, 2025
High-impact: Not high-impact

GSA USAi

A shared federal tool, not yet in operation at the NRC.

Identifier: NRC-0003
Stage: Pre-deployment
Vendor: General Services Administration
Date in the inventory: January 1, 2026
High-impact: Not high-impact

ChatGPT Enterprise and Gemini for Government

Two commercial assistants, listed together, not yet in operation.

Identifier: NRC-0004
Stage: Pre-deployment
Vendors: OpenAI and Google
Date in the inventory: December 1, 2025
High-impact: Not high-impact

Two plans, and an earlier one

FY26 AI Strategic Plan (PDF) September 29, 2025. ML25269A196. This is the current strategy.
AI compliance plan (PDF) September 29, 2025. ML25272A276.
NUREG-2261, Artificial Intelligence Strategic Plan, fiscal years 2023–2027 May 2023. An earlier plan about readiness to review industry AI. It is not the FY26 plan.

When the FY26 plan says “high-impact” about licensing, power uprates, advanced reactors, and inspection preparation, that is ordinary language. In the public inventory, the OMB category “high-impact” applies to none of the four tools.

Governance and contact

Scott Flanders is Chief AI Officer. Questions go to CAIO@nrc.gov or the contact form.

The AI Governance Board oversees the agency’s own use of AI. The AI Steering Committee coordinates preparation for AI in activities the NRC regulates. Membership and meeting cadence are not on the public page.

Prototype prepared October 6, 2026, from the public pages. The live hub was last reviewed September 9, 2026.