Microsoft and DOE Launch Genesis Mission to Accelerate Scientific Discovery with AI

The U.S. Department of Energy has launched the Genesis Mission, a national initiative to dramatically accelerate scientific discovery through the integration of artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, and world-class scientific infrastructure. Microsoft has partnered with the DOE and its 17 National Laboratories to provide secure cloud platforms, advanced AI capabilities, and domain-specific tools that will modernize research workflows and reduce the time from hypothesis to discovery.

The Genesis Mission represents a coordinated effort to double the productivity and impact of American research and innovation within the decade by embedding AI directly into the scientific process. This ambitious goal requires trusted technology partners who understand the unique requirements of government-led science, from secure data handling and regulatory compliance to collaboration across institutions and disciplines.

Microsoft's work under the Genesis Mission focuses on enabling an integrated approach to scientific discovery by delivering:

• Secure, government-ready cloud infrastructure accredited to support workloads ranging from unclassified to Secret data
• AI capabilities designed specifically for scientific and engineering workflows
• Responsible AI practices aligned with federal standards
• Close collaboration with DOE scientists and laboratory experts

Accelerating Materials Science Discovery with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Materials science forms the foundation for many DOE mission priorities, including energy storage, advanced manufacturing, and sustainability. Through a partnership with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Microsoft is demonstrating how AI can transform materials discovery and evaluation.

Using Microsoft Azure Quantum Elements, the collaboration combined AI and HPC to screen more than 32 million inorganic material candidates—a task that would traditionally take many years using conventional methods. AI models rapidly narrowed this vast search space to a small set of promising materials, enabling PNNL researchers to experimentally synthesize and validate a previously unknown compound for potential battery applications.

This collaboration illustrates how AI can:

• Rapidly explore large scientific search spaces
• Prioritize the most promising candidates for laboratory validation
• Complement—not replace—the expertise of human scientists

By accelerating early-stage discovery, this work supports the Genesis Mission's objective to shorten scientific timelines while preserving rigorous experimental validation.

Modernizing Nuclear Energy Workflows with Idaho National Laboratory

Advanced nuclear energy is critical to the nation's long-term energy strategy, and the DOE has emphasized the need to modernize processes supporting reactor development and deployment. Microsoft is working with Idaho National Laboratory to apply AI in a targeted, responsible way to streamline portions of the nuclear licensing and permitting workflow.

Preparing the engineering and safety analysis documentation required for regulatory review is labor-intensive and time-consuming. Together, Microsoft and INL are exploring how Azure AI can assist by organizing and drafting documentation based on existing technical materials. Importantly:

• AI is used to support document generation, not to perform safety analyses
• Human experts remain fully responsible for review, verification, and decision-making
• The solution is designed to align with DOE and Nuclear Regulatory Commission requirements

By reducing administrative burdens, this collaboration helps engineers and scientists focus more time on technical innovation—directly supporting the Genesis Mission's emphasis on accelerating energy innovation while maintaining the highest standards of safety and oversight.

Secure AI Enablement for National Security Science at Sandia National Laboratories

For national security missions, AI adoption must meet stringent requirements for security, governance, and data protection. At Sandia National Laboratories, Microsoft supported the deployment of a secure, private AI capability built on Microsoft Azure and Azure OpenAI.

This solution enables Sandia personnel to use generative AI tools within a tightly controlled environment, ensuring that sensitive, unclassified data remains protected and isolated. The result demonstrates how:

• Enterprise-grade AI can be deployed in high-security government environments
• Scientists and staff can gain productivity benefits without compromising data protections
• Responsible AI practices can be operationalized at scale

This work aligns directly with the Genesis Mission's focus on ensuring that AI innovation for science is secure, trustworthy, and mission-ready.

Investing in Classified Cloud Capabilities for Sensitive Missions

Microsoft has made sustained, long-term investments in high-security, classified cloud infrastructure to meet the U.S. government's most stringent security and operational requirements. Azure Government Secret and Azure Government Top Secret are engineered to meet U.S. government requirements for classified data handling.

These capabilities enable government agencies and national laboratories to adopt cloud and AI technologies for sensitive scientific, energy, and national security missions without compromising security, compliance, or mission assurance. Azure Government classified clouds ensure that the benefits of modern cloud and AI technologies are available for the full spectrum of government missions—supporting secure collaboration, operational resilience, and trusted innovation.

A Responsible Path Forward for AI-Powered Science

Across materials science, nuclear energy, and national security, Microsoft's collaborations with the DOE National Laboratories demonstrate a common approach:

• AI augments scientific expertise, rather than replacing it
• Security, compliance, and governance are foundational, not afterthoughts
• Human-in-the-loop workflows remain central to decision-making
• Cloud and AI platforms are designed to scale across institutions and domains

The Genesis Mission represents a new chapter in how the nation conducts science—one where AI is deeply integrated into research workflows to help scientists move faster, collaborate more effectively, and tackle increasingly complex challenges. Microsoft remains committed to working with the Department of Energy and its National Laboratories to ensure that AI is applied responsibly, securely, and in service of the public mission—supporting American scientific leadership today and for decades to come.

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For more information about the Genesis Mission, contact [email protected].