US startups power AI with biology, ocean waves, and microreactors

What happened

AI's energy demands are rising. Biological Computing uses rat brain cells and stem cells to make AI models more efficient, with one upgrade delivering efficiency gains as high as 500%. Panthalassa is building floating data centers powered by wave-driven turbines. Valar Atomics proved its RV-sized microreactor works safely and closed a $1 billion Series B round led by Sequoia Capital to mass-produce the reactors for future data centers.

Why it matters

These next-generation solutions aim to keep AI running strong without draining the planet, addressing the growing energy and environmental challenges of AI.