AI’s ambitions depend on something less glamorous than the next breakthrough model: a reliable supply of electricity. As technology companies invest in nuclear power, what happens when Silicon Valley’s product cycles meet an industry built around decades of planning and a rigorous safety culture?

On this episode of Tech Transforms, Carolyn Ford welcomes Joyce Connery, owner of Connery Strategies, distinguished fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Nuclear Energy Policy Initiative, and former chair of the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board. Joyce traces her career from nuclear nonproliferation work in Kazakhstan to the National Security Council and a decade overseeing safety at US defense nuclear facilities.

Carolyn also brings something personal to the conversation: nuclear power makes her nervous. Rather than dismissing that reaction, Joyce explores how fear, experience, transparency, and trust shape the public’s willingness to embrace nuclear energy.

Together, they discuss how AI demand is changing nuclear investment, the opportunities and challenges surrounding small modular and advanced reactors, and why cybersecurity must be treated as a safety function. Joyce explains why digital systems, physical operations, and security need shared ownership—and why innovation cannot come at the expense of the safety culture that supports them.

In this episode:
• How technology companies are changing nuclear financing, timelines, and priorities.
• Why public trust requires more than assurances that a technology is safe.
• Where small modular and advanced reactors fit into the energy conversation.
• Why cybersecurity, instrumentation, and nuclear safety must work together.
• How AI could support reactor modeling and operations while preserving human oversight.
• Why leaders should measure progress by electricity delivered, rather than designs announced.

Plus, Joyce weighs in on fictional power sources and the enduring absurdity of surviving a nuclear blast inside a refrigerator.

Show Notes:

Guest Email: Joyce@connerystrategies.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joyce-connery-770199/

Relevant Links and Resources:

• Atlantic Council profile: https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/expert/joyce-connery/

• Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board: https://www.dnfsb.gov

• Harvard Belfer Center seminar with Joyce Connery: https://www.belfercenter.org/event/perspectives-role-and-challenges-safety-oversight-defense-nuclear-facilities

Julie shares fascinating insights into the vulnerabilities of critical infrastructure, the geopolitical implications of mining and minerals, and the challenges of navigating leadership as a woman in tech. They also dive into the neurodiverse superpowers that thrive in the fast-paced world of cybersecurity and the importance of empathy in the digital age.

With humor, candor, and thought-provoking anecdotes, this episode will leave you rethinking the way we approach technology, security, and the human element. Tune in for a conversation that’s equal parts enlightening and entertaining. Stay curious and keep imagining the future!

Summary Notes
Julie’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jlaurin/
Mining and Metals ISAC - https://mmisac.org/
ClickFix Analysis - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2025/08/21/think-before-you-clickfix-analyzing-the-clickfix-social-engineering-technique/
ISO/IEC 27001 - https://www.iso.org/standard/27001