The UK government has allocated £45 million (around €52 million) to develop Sunrise, the country’s first AI supercomputer dedicated specifically to accelerating fusion energy. The project is a joint effort between the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ). Targeted for operation by June of this year, the 1.4MW machine, it is designed to be the first AI-focused supercomputer dedicated to fusion energy research and serves as the initial component of a planned AI Growth Zone at the site.
The hardware configuration involves a collaboration between AMD, Dell Technologies, Intel, WEKA, the University of Cambridge, and government departments. The system is expected to provide up to 6.76 Exaflops of AI-accelerated performance. This computational capacity will be used to generate high-fidelity simulations and digital twins to study plasma turbulence, materials science, and tritium fuel breeding. These virtual models are intended to reduce the reliance on physical testing, potentially lowering the costs and risks associated with the UK’s STEP fusion program, which targets a fusion demonstration by the 2040s.
According to government officials, the project supports the broader AI Opportunities Action Plan and the UK’s Net Zero strategy. The initiative follows a related £36 million investment in January 2026 directed toward the Cambridge supercomputing centre. By integrating AI and high-performance computing, the program aims to advance the commercial viability of fusion energy while expanding the UK’s sovereign scientific computing infrastructure.
