The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence is creating an unexpected pressure point for the technology industry: electricity.

As data centres become larger and computing requirements increase, technology companies are searching for dependable sources of power capable of supporting intensive operations over long periods. That demand is helping revive interest in nuclear energy and small modular reactor technology.

One of the companies at the centre of this movement is Oklo, a nuclear startup backed by technology investors including Sam Altman. The company is working on smaller reactor designs and has been pursuing plans connected to the growing electricity needs of data centres.

The development reflects an important change in the relationship between technology and infrastructure.

For decades, technology companies primarily competed on software, hardware and digital services. The expansion of large-scale computing has made physical infrastructure just as strategically important.

Data centres require enormous amounts of electricity, and their operators need power supplies that are reliable around the clock. This has encouraged companies such as Meta, Amazon, Google and Microsoft to explore different approaches to nuclear energy and other long-term power sources.

Small modular reactors are attracting attention because their designs aim to be more flexible than traditional large nuclear plants. Developers hope smaller facilities can be built closer to industrial users and potentially delivered through more repeatable construction methods.

But the opportunity comes with significant challenges.

Modern nuclear projects remain expensive and technically complex. Developers must navigate regulatory requirements, engineering challenges, construction risks and uncertain timelines. The United States has also had limited recent experience in building entirely new commercial reactor designs.

That creates a difficult environment for startups.

A company can have strong technology and substantial investor support but still face years of development before generating meaningful commercial revenue.

The AI boom is nevertheless changing the economics of the conversation. Technology companies have become some of the most powerful potential customers for new electricity projects. Their willingness to sign long-term agreements or support energy developers could help create a commercial pathway for new reactor technologies.

This represents a wider industrial trend: The AI economy is pulling investment into sectors that previously appeared disconnected from software.

Semiconductors require advanced manufacturing. Data centres require land, cooling and electricity. Electricity demand influences transmission infrastructure and energy policy. The result is an increasingly interconnected technology and industrial ecosystem.

For business leaders, this creates a new strategic responsibility.

Technology companies can no longer view energy availability as a background issue. Power capacity, location and long-term energy contracts can influence where major data centres are built and how quickly they can expand.

The nuclear revival also demonstrates how emerging technologies can change established industries.

AI is not simply creating demand for more chips and servers. It is beginning to influence decisions about energy infrastructure that could shape industrial policy for decades.

The nuclear sector still faces considerable uncertainty, and not every startup pursuing advanced reactor technology will succeed. But the growing relationship between AI infrastructure and nuclear power represents one of the most consequential industrial shifts emerging from the technology boom.