David Kirtley: Nuclear Fusion, Plasma Physics, and the Future of Energy | Lex Fridman Podcast #485

This podcast recap is from a conversation with David Kirtley, CEO of Helion Energy where they discuss the current state and future of nuclear fusion technology. The discussion focuses heavily on explaining the difference between nuclear fusion and nuclear fission, detailing how fusion works to generate energy by combining light atoms like hydrogen isotopes, in contrast to fission's process of splitting heavy atoms. Kirtley advocates for the development of fusion generators as a clean, inherently safe, and abundant power source that avoids the geopolitical issues and weapons proliferation risks associated with fission fuel. He also describes Helion's unique Field-Reversed Configuration (FRC) approach to fusion, highlighting the goal to build the first fusion power plant for a Microsoft data center by 2028 and the massive potential for fusion to enable a Kardashev Type One civilization and power future technology like AI.