This book provides a comprehensive analysis of how artificial intelligence is transforming the security landscape for nuclear materials and facilities.

Nuclear and radiation technologies for peaceful purposes offer significant benefits to countries, making their security essential. Nuclear energy provides emissions-free power for national development, while highly radioactive materials are used worldwide for diverse applications, from sterilizing medical supplies to cancer treatment and industrial processes. However, the risks of nuclear material theft and facility sabotage pose potentially catastrophic threats that must be addressed. Over the past 50 years, the discipline of nuclear security has evolved to ensure that nations can harness nuclear technologies while maintaining strong security safeguards.

Artificial intelligence, with its rapid advancements, introduces both new risks and opportunities for nuclear security. On one hand, malicious actors can exploit emerging AI tools, including large language models (LLMs), to identify vulnerabilities within a nation's nuclear security infrastructure. On the other hand, AI presents significant advantages for nuclear security, particularly in automation, information management, and anomaly detection.

Despite AI's growing relevance, nuclear security professionals—including policymakers and industry experts—often lack a deep understanding of its implications. This book bridges that gap, offering insights into the intersection of AI and nuclear security, highlighting challenges, and exploring potential solutions.

Dr. Case Lackner is Senior Fellow and Lead on Emerging Technologies at the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Nonproliferation (VCDNP), where she has published a number of papers and reports on nuclear security and the impact of emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence.   She was previously a Senior Nuclear Security Officer in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)’s Division of Nuclear Security, where she served as the Scientific Secretary for the Nuclear Security Guidance Committee and the Director General’s Advisory Committee on Nuclear Security.  She was also Co-Scientific Secretary of the 2022 Conference of Parties to the A/CPPNM.

Prior to arriving at the IAEA, Dr. Case Lackner served in the US Department of State as a Physical Scientist in the Office of Nuclear Energy, Safety, and Security, advising primarily on international nuclear security matters, and in the Office of China and Mongolian Affairs. She also previously served as Senior Programme Officer on the US National Academy of Sciences’ Board on Nuclear and Radiation Studies, organising panels, meetings, and publications related to nuclear security. She holds a B.A. in physics from Columbia University in the City of New York and an M.S. and Ph.D. in physics from the University of Chicago.