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Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory Leads AI-Driven Fusion Research Under DOE Genesis Mission
In a quiet laboratory in Princeton, a new wave of artificial intelligence is set to ignite fusion research. The Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) has been chosen to spearhead an AI‑powered initiative aimed at refining electron cyclotron heating (ECH) in fusion devices—an effort that sits at the heart of the Department of Energy’s Genesis Mission.
The Genesis Mission is a national program that seeks to fuse AI, supercomputing, quantum technologies, and cutting‑edge scientific instrumentation to accelerate breakthroughs in energy and national security. According to a Newswise report, PPPL’s project will build an autonomous AI system that can control the high‑power gyrotrons used for ECH. These gyrotrons generate the millimeter‑wave radiation that heats plasma in magnetic‑confinement fusion experiments. By giving the system the ability to adjust the gyrotron parameters in real time, the team hopes to make plasma heating more efficient and reliable.
Alongside the autonomous controller, the lab will construct a digital twin—a virtual replica of a gyrotron. This digital twin will enable rapid simulations of the device’s internal physics, speeding up the design cycle for next‑generation high‑frequency gyrotrons. The project, led by Principal Research Physicist Syun’ichi Shiraiwa, brings together researchers from the University of California, San Diego, the University of Chicago, and the University of Michigan. Their goal is to create and demonstrate research workflows that weave AI directly into the experimental process, and to evaluate whether this integration can accelerate discovery, sharpen predictive models, or uncover new scientific insights.
PPPL’s involvement in the Genesis Mission extends beyond ECH. Distinguished research fellow Hantao Ji, a Princeton professor of astrophysical sciences, heads the “Toward a Facility for Laboratory Reconnection Experiments (FLARE) Digital Twin” project, which uses neural networks to accelerate experimental research. Staff research physicist Egemen Kolemen, a Princeton professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, leads the “Foundation Model Platform for Fusion Energy,” focusing on multi‑modal, multi‑device learning.
The laboratory also partners on five additional Genesis projects. Deputy head of theory Nathaniel Ferraro will guide the “Core Accelerated Trajectories With Augmented Learning by Sim‑to‑experiment Transfer” effort. Shantenu Jha, head of computational sciences, will steer the “Automatic Performance Portability for Distributed Scientific Workflows on the Genesis Mission Platform.” Yevgeny Raitses, managing principal research physicist, will oversee the “AI‑based Adaptive Low‑temperature Plasma for Healthcare, Agriculture and Advanced Manufacturing.” Ammar Hakim, principal research physicist, will direct the “Data‑driven Discovery of Multicomponent Plasma Fluid Dynamics.” Finally, Igor Kaganovich, principal research physicist, will lead the “AI‑driven Rapid Discovery of Plasma Deposition for Novel Materials for Next‑generation Semiconductor Devices.”
“Collaboration between national labs and industry opens the aperture toward driving fusion and plasma science forward together,” said PPPL’s deputy director for research and chief research officer, Laura Berzak Hopkins.
The Genesis Mission’s Phase I Request for Application awards aim to identify promising pathways toward transformative scientific capabilities and to lay the groundwork for future investment and scale. The PPPL projects will showcase how AI can be woven into the experimental workflow of fusion research, potentially cutting the time and cost of developing new heating technologies and enhancing plasma control reliability.
At this stage, the PPPL initiatives remain in the design and demonstration phase. The lab has not yet released a timetable for when the AI‑controlled gyrotron system or the digital twin will become operational. The broader Genesis Mission is expected to continue funding related research through the next decade, with the ultimate goal of accelerating the transition of fusion science into practical energy solutions.
PPPL’s active role in the Genesis Mission underscores the growing influence of AI in high‑energy physics and highlights the promise of digital twins and autonomous control systems to reshape fusion research. As the projects advance, the scientific community will watch closely for evidence that AI can deliver measurable improvements in plasma heating, stability, and overall reactor performance.
The Genesis Mission is a national program that seeks to fuse AI, supercomputing, quantum technologies, and cutting‑edge scientific instrumentation to accelerate breakthroughs in energy and national security. According to a Newswise report, PPPL’s project will build an autonomous AI system that can control the high‑power gyrotrons used for ECH. These gyrotrons generate the millimeter‑wave radiation that heats plasma in magnetic‑confinement fusion experiments. By giving the system the ability to adjust the gyrotron parameters in real time, the team hopes to make plasma heating more efficient and reliable.
Alongside the autonomous controller, the lab will construct a digital twin—a virtual replica of a gyrotron. This digital twin will enable rapid simulations of the device’s internal physics, speeding up the design cycle for next‑generation high‑frequency gyrotrons. The project, led by Principal Research Physicist Syun’ichi Shiraiwa, brings together researchers from the University of California, San Diego, the University of Chicago, and the University of Michigan. Their goal is to create and demonstrate research workflows that weave AI directly into the experimental process, and to evaluate whether this integration can accelerate discovery, sharpen predictive models, or uncover new scientific insights.
PPPL’s involvement in the Genesis Mission extends beyond ECH. Distinguished research fellow Hantao Ji, a Princeton professor of astrophysical sciences, heads the “Toward a Facility for Laboratory Reconnection Experiments (FLARE) Digital Twin” project, which uses neural networks to accelerate experimental research. Staff research physicist Egemen Kolemen, a Princeton professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, leads the “Foundation Model Platform for Fusion Energy,” focusing on multi‑modal, multi‑device learning.
The laboratory also partners on five additional Genesis projects. Deputy head of theory Nathaniel Ferraro will guide the “Core Accelerated Trajectories With Augmented Learning by Sim‑to‑experiment Transfer” effort. Shantenu Jha, head of computational sciences, will steer the “Automatic Performance Portability for Distributed Scientific Workflows on the Genesis Mission Platform.” Yevgeny Raitses, managing principal research physicist, will oversee the “AI‑based Adaptive Low‑temperature Plasma for Healthcare, Agriculture and Advanced Manufacturing.” Ammar Hakim, principal research physicist, will direct the “Data‑driven Discovery of Multicomponent Plasma Fluid Dynamics.” Finally, Igor Kaganovich, principal research physicist, will lead the “AI‑driven Rapid Discovery of Plasma Deposition for Novel Materials for Next‑generation Semiconductor Devices.”
“Collaboration between national labs and industry opens the aperture toward driving fusion and plasma science forward together,” said PPPL’s deputy director for research and chief research officer, Laura Berzak Hopkins.
The Genesis Mission’s Phase I Request for Application awards aim to identify promising pathways toward transformative scientific capabilities and to lay the groundwork for future investment and scale. The PPPL projects will showcase how AI can be woven into the experimental workflow of fusion research, potentially cutting the time and cost of developing new heating technologies and enhancing plasma control reliability.
At this stage, the PPPL initiatives remain in the design and demonstration phase. The lab has not yet released a timetable for when the AI‑controlled gyrotron system or the digital twin will become operational. The broader Genesis Mission is expected to continue funding related research through the next decade, with the ultimate goal of accelerating the transition of fusion science into practical energy solutions.
PPPL’s active role in the Genesis Mission underscores the growing influence of AI in high‑energy physics and highlights the promise of digital twins and autonomous control systems to reshape fusion research. As the projects advance, the scientific community will watch closely for evidence that AI can deliver measurable improvements in plasma heating, stability, and overall reactor performance.
