With AI use growing, Big Tech turns to nuclear power
Japanese companies see opportunity as US looks to build more plants
A data center owned by Amazon Web Services, front right, is under construction next to the Susquehanna nuclear power plant in Berwick, in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, in January 2024. © AP
YUJI OHIRA and KOSUKE SHIMIZU
HOUSTON, Texas/PALO ALTO, California -- American technology giants are moving to procure more electricity from nuclear plants as demand for power-hungry artificial intelligence grows sharply.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
an hour ago
Barcodes and QR Codes Become New Standard for Cashless Payments in Japan
A July survey in Japan found that 84.2% of respondents make use of code payments for purchases, using a barcode or QR code displayed on a smartphone. The survey was conducted by Kufū Company Holdings on 2,559 users of its household budgeting app and related services. Code payments have become a standard for cashless transactions in Japan, even surpassing the 76.3% of respondents who use physical credit cards. The next most popular form of payment, at 69.8%, is electronic money, which includes systems used on public transportation such as Suica and Pasmo, or money issued by retailers like Aeon. Meanwhile, only a minority of respondents, at 14.7%, use debit cards. Over 75% of the survey respondents cited 'earning points or receiving cashback' as well as 'easy and speedy payment' as a benefit of using code payments. In today's era of rising prices, consumers seem to be motivated by the desire to get something in return. Additionally, 21.7% of the respondents mentioned the convenience of 'peer-to-peer money transfer functions,' which are useful for such situations as splitting the bill for a group outing. The most commonly mentioned inconvenience or concern related to code payments is that it is not accepted by some stores, as mentioned by 62.2% of the recipients. Meanwhile, only 26.4% expressed concerns about unauthorized use and other security issues. (Translated from Japanese. Banner photo © Pixta.)
5 hours ago
Bridgestone to Sell Carbon Black Biz in Mexico
News from Japan Economy Aug 5, 2025 15:04 (JST) Tokyo, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)--Bridgestone Corp. said Tuesday it will sell Mexico Carbon Manufacturing SA de CV to Cabot Corp. of the United States for about 70 million dollars as part of the Japanese tire maker's efforts to restructure its carbon black business. The deal is expected to close within three to six months, pending regulatory approval in Mexico. The impact of the sale on Bridgestone's financial forecast for this year is minimal, the company said. In July, Bridgestone announced the sale of its carbon black operations in Thailand to Japan's Tokai Carbon Co. Asahi Carbon Co., based in the city of Niigata, central Japan, will be Bridgestone's only carbon black arm. It will continue to develop and make the material for premium and racing tires. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
The Mainichi
5 hours ago
- The Mainichi
Some BOJ members signal rate hikes if tariff concerns ease: minutes
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- A few Bank of Japan board members said in June that the central bank would likely consider resuming interest rate hikes if friction over U.S. tariffs does not escalate, the minutes of their meeting showed Tuesday. In the meeting, the BOJ maintained its policy rate at around 0.5 percent, citing the "extremely uncertain" impact of higher U.S. tariffs that Japan was negotiating to reduce. At the June 16-17 meeting, a few members expressed the view that the central bank "would likely move on from its current wait-and-see approach and consider resuming the process of policy interest rate hikes, if trade friction was expected to progress without escalation," the minutes said. With the BOJ standing pat at its meeting last week, held after Japan and the United States reached a trade agreement, the focus is on whether the central bank will raise the policy rate at its next gathering in September. In June, one member said the central bank needed to be able to respond flexibly so it can return to raising rates depending on policy developments in the United States. Another member warned that "extremely high uncertainties" remained over the outlook for Japanese economic activity, with risks still skewed to the downside, and it would "take some time" to assess future trends in corporate profits and the direction of the U.S.-Japan trade talks.
