## 3 Artificial Intelligence as Enabler for Adoption of Nuclear Maritime Ships
### Safeguards and Security of Nuclear Materials  
One of the primary concerns in the nuclear industry and mainly of nuclear regulatory commissions and safeguard agencies is ensuring the secure movement, storage, and use of nuclear materials. Specifically, it is crucial to maintain precise knowledge of the location, usage, and quantity of nuclear material--a practice known as material accountability. To achieve this, the whereabouts of nuclear materials must be continuously monitored using advanced tracking and surveillance technologies, a term known as nuclear security [81].  
In this context, AI can offer efficient solutions through automated and autonomous systems that enhance material accountability. Specifically, AI enables the development of advanced data analytic methods for analyzing gamma measurements and spectra [82]. It can also be employed to ensure the integrity of onboard nuclear materials by verifying and validating activities associated with their handling. Moreover, intelligent algorithms can detect the illicit movement of radioactive materials, as well as identify and characterize the material when suspicious activity is detected [83]. Figure 4 illustrates the security architecture that AI can facilitate for onboard nuclear material monitoring.  
As shown in Figure 4, monitoring activities in a nuclear vessel are primarily focused on two key areas: the reactor core and the vessel's entry/exit point. The AI system is centralized in a control room, where measurements are transmitted via communication links. This network of detectors functions as a sensor system, continuously collecting radiation data and transmitting them to a central computer for storage and analysis [83].  
Given the large volume of collected data, fast and accurate analysis is essential. AI plays a crucial role in performing various data analytic tasks, including data fusion, pattern recognition, inference making, data correlation, and parameter estimation. These processes collectively contribute to verifying scheduled activities and detecting any illicit ones.  
Furthermore, AI modules installed on nuclear ships can also function as a virtual agent for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Specifically, LLMs with full access to the ship's digital records can generate summaries of activities upon request. These LLM modules can operate autonomously, directly connecting to the IAEA via satellite communication to transmit the required reports. Since nuclear ships will primarily operate internationally, they are expected to remain under IAEA oversight in addition to national regulatory authorities [84]. The integration of AI-driven reporting systems can enhance transparency, streamline compliance, and facilitate the real-time monitoring of nuclear activities on board.  
Overall, the use of AI for nuclear material monitoring will strengthen the trust of the IAEA and the international community in the countries where nuclear ships are docked. Countries lacking this technology may attempt to illicitly remove nuclear material from ships for unauthorized use, making robust AI-driven monitoring systems even more critical. Additionally, LLMs that communicate directly with the IAEA can significantly reduce the agency's operational costs by minimizing the need for frequent on-site inspections, thereby lowering travel expenses for human agents.