Introduction
Nuclear vitality ranks among the many world’s most regulated industries. AI and particularly generative AI have created sufficient influence that thought leaders rank it amongst different transformative “common function applied sciences” resembling electrical energy and the steam engine. Harnessing AI to reimagine nuclear operations throughout the business means extra carbon-free nuclear vitality for electrical grids and information facilities, which the Worldwide Power Company estimates demand to double by 2026. In September 2024, Westinghouse unveiled its HiVE™ AI system, powered by its fine-tuned bertha™ generative AI mannequin, reworking how clients collaborate with Westinghouse.
Constructing a Higher Information Administration Answer
Westinghouse’s digital transformation began greater than 5 years in the past with a deep bench of information and nuclear specialists and over 70 years’ value of cleaned and contextualized industrial information distinctive to the nuclear world. Nonetheless, the group wanted to enhance the corporate’s information infrastructure if it wished to understand its AI ambitions. The prevailing on-premises analytics database lacked some vital scalability options and choices. With no scalable cloud resolution, the information group struggled with a scarcity of computing sources, an incapability to quickly experiment with large quantities of information, and restrictions on safely sharing information throughout functions.
To construct a world-class, nuclear-specific AI functionality, Westinghouse wanted a greater resolution. Westinghouse determined to construct on the Databricks Information Intelligence Platform, a transfer that will show essential in its mission to drive innovation. The nuclear business has at all times been deeply dedicated to security and decreasing threat, with each element inspected and controlled. Managing and securing vital nuclear information will not be negotiable. With this in thoughts, Westinghouse got down to design an information spine that might host AI functions for a number of the most trusted utilities on the planet. Databricks was the perfect associate to assist Westinghouse obtain this objective.
As Westinghouse got down to design an information spine so safe and sturdy that it may host AI functions for a number of the most trusted utilities on the planet, it turned to Databricks. The Databricks group rapidly turned a “guiding gentle” for Westinghouse, offering essential assist because the Westinghouse infrastructure group took the lead in configuring our techniques to fulfill the nuclear business’s strict regulatory necessities. Westinghouse was capable of leverage Databricks’ state-of-the-art governance with Unity Catalog. It was constructed in keeping with greatest practices outlined within the Databricks AI Safety Framework (DASF), complementing Microsoft’s sturdy safety requirements. These foundations bolster the credibility of Westinghouse’s information administration practices and provides its clients peace of thoughts, which is important in an business the place belief and reliability are paramount.
When it got here time to modernize how the information was organized, the Databricks skilled companies group delivered. Collectively, Westinghouse and Databricks created a scalable and multi-tiered analytics atmosphere, full with an ML Ops course of that streamlines your entire machine studying lifecycle. This basis additionally featured a strong prototyping atmosphere, together with devoted workspaces, for testing and deploying AI fashions, all backed by a safe and dependable information lakehouse structure.
The brand new infrastructure instantly saved a whole lot of hours yearly for the Digital Optimization Providers enterprise unit and allowed the Westinghouse group to reinvest of their product traces to incorporate AI for customer-facing functions and companies.
To make this imaginative and prescient a actuality, Westinghouse had to make sure that its information was correctly ready, managed, and ruled. That’s the place Databricks’ highly effective applied sciences, together with Auto Loader, Photon engine, and Lakeflow Jobs, actually shined. Then, when Westinghouse wanted real-time insights into its information high quality and pipeline efficiency, they tapped into options like Lakehouse Monitoring and Expectations. Now, with Unity Catalog (UC) governing its information, Westinghouse has full visibility into its information’s journey, from supply to vacation spot. Within the nuclear business, every little thing revolves round security and belief. As Westinghouse continues to develop pioneering new AI options, Databricks companies reinforce the belief Westinghouse earns for managing information securely and reliably.
Accelerating AI in a Complicated Business
On September 4, 2024, Westinghouse launched its HiVE™ nuclear particular AI system and its bertha™ generative AI mannequin to the world. Not solely has the Westinghouse group quickly superior its AI capabilities utilizing the Databricks Information Intelligence Platform, however it could now create future AI merchandise and options restricted solely by creativeness.
To help in creating bertha™, Westinghouse leveraged the Databricks Mosaic AI Agent Framework, to quickly consider numerous foundational fashions and GenAI techniques. Utilizing Databricks Experiments and MLFlow, Westinghouse performed fast experimentation to find out one of the best fashions, whereas logging statistics to guage efficiency. This method enabled Westinghouse to speed up the event of its customized Generative AI resolution.
Westinghouse can now leverage its superior information infrastructure to create options throughout the nuclear business. For instance, giant industrial services talk and retailer monumental portions of information. With an structure constructed on Databricks, Westinghouse maintains an AI resolution to extract, cleanse, and retailer machine information from over 200 nuclear services worldwide. One other instance consists of an AI software designed to course of video information in real-time inside Stress Water and Boiling Water Reactors with the potential to detect particles at the very least 90% higher than guide inspections and save as much as 25% on inspection prices.
Lastly, one other nice instance consists of leveraging the bertha™ generative AI mannequin to generate licensing information and documentation dramatically sooner. Historically, it could take months to manually compile new nuclear website licenses or environmental assessments. This can be a essential step in streamlining nuclear improvement.
The Databricks infrastructure has freed information and nuclear specialists to concentrate on nuclear innovation. Because of this, the Westinghouse information scientists delivered 4 proofs of idea in December 2024, two production-grade techniques within the first quarter of 2025, and helped generate 45 distinct innovation concepts within the first two months of 2025.
Conclusion
The Westinghouse-configured Databricks Information Intelligence Platform removes large obstacles to attaining Westinghouse’s AI ambitions. Now, Westinghouse can scale compute, quickly and safely experiment with mass quantities of manufacturing information, and share data securely throughout functions. Westinghouse HiVE™ nuclear-specific AI system clients admire the facility of auditability, enter and output transparency, real-time information processing, and operational analytics. The Westinghouse groups worth the unbelievable and adaptable partnership with Databricks to create a novel platform that positions it for continued pioneering AI innovation.
“With Databricks at all times offering the most recent options that hit the market, Westinghouse is ready to frequently incorporate new AI capabilities for our clients.”
— Catherine Stanley, Information, Digital, and AI Supervisor at Westinghouse