Rosatom actively uses artificial intelligence for the synthesis and analysis of new materials. This was stated to TASS by Evgeny Abakumov, Deputy General Director for Science and Strategy of the state corporation. According to him, AI reduces the search time for candidate materials, which previously took years.
AI helped develop the material composition for fast neutron reactors (BREST) and supercritical water-cooled reactors (VVER-SKD). About 250,000 alloying options needed to be investigated. With the help of AI, the optimal composition was found in weeks, after which it was tested in the laboratory.
In addition, AI is involved in optimizing carbon fiber production. It was possible to significantly reduce the scatter of strength characteristics along the fiber length and increase production efficiency — carbon fiber structures became lighter without loss of strength.
In 2026, Rosatom plans to launch an experimental complex for automated synthesis of new structural materials using AI. The installation will close the digital cycle: from calculating properties with AI to the actual synthesis of a sample, which will reduce the time for creating materials many times over.
According to Abakumov, the state corporation is expanding the use of AI in cooperation with the Kurchatov Institute, institutes of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and the Ministry of Education and Science.