The Waymo effect

[Marlin]

The Waymo effect

https://www.ans.org/news/2026-09-24/article-8325/the-waymo-effect/

[Core Content]

The latest issue of Nuclear News examines the integration of artificial intelligence and automation across the energy sector. Industry observers suggest that widespread adoption of advanced reactors will require machine learning and autonomous operations to maintain safety and efficiency. Facility operators must prepare the workforce for these technological shifts as digital systems become standard in plant operations.

The focus of the September issue of Nuclear News issue is on new technology, and the stories within are reflective of the broader wave of innovation sweeping the industry—a wave driven in no small part by the head-jerking progress of AI and its pervasion into our economy and way of life.

Something caught my eye a few days ago: an ad by Waymo touting its careful intentionality in deploying its fleet of driverless vehicles in the U.S. "Now, the Waymo driver is safer than a human one," says the soothing female voiceover, "statistically 10 times safer in the cities we serve."

It made me realize that most if not all safety-related applications of AI will at some point— usually after a lot of trial and error—reach a state of "too good to not use." At that point, people become the weakest link in the safety chain. While the first Waymo ride can be a cognitively dissonant experience, I think we will be surprised at how easily we will all get used to seeing the road ahead behind an empty driver's seat, assuming the safety case holds up.

Read the full article at ans.org:
https://www.ans.org/news/2026-09-24/article-8325/the-waymo-effect/