PPPL's PACMAN framework lets multiple AI models control a tokamak in ~20 ms, preventing a tearing mode
PPPL reported PACMAN, a modular framework that plugs several ML models directly into a tokamak's control system, reading plasma data and issuing commands in about 20 ms. In five DIII-D experiments an RL model took full control of the heating systems, and the framework predicted edge bursts (ELMs), controlled fast-particle-driven waves, and predicted and prevented a tearing mode.
Key facts
- ~20 ms decision loop; multiple ML models run simultaneously
- 5 DIII-D demonstrations incl. full RL control of heating and pre-emptive tearing-mode suppression
- Humans set goals and safety limits; published in Nuclear Fusion
Science result
- Field
- physics / nuclear fusion / plasma control
- Problem
- Integrating multiple AI predictors and controllers safely into real-time fusion operation
- Result
- Modular real-time AI control framework demonstrated on DIII-D across several control tasks.
- AI system
- PACMAN framework (RL and predictive models)
- Human role
- Human-designed; humans set goals and safety limits
- Verification
- Peer-reviewed in Nuclear Fusion; hardware demonstrations
- Status
- confirmed
What happened
PPPL moved from single-purpose AI controllers to a framework where several models share control of one machine in real time.
Why it matters
It is a step toward the AI-supervised operation that future power-plant tokamaks such as SPARC and ITER are expected to need.
Changelog
- 2026-09-29: created
Related events
- AI controller predicts and avoids tearing instabilities in the DIII-D fusion reactor ★★★
- Deep reinforcement learning controls fusion plasma in the TCV tokamak ★★★★
- Google DeepMind partners with Commonwealth Fusion Systems to optimise and control the SPARC tokamak with AI ★★★
Sources (3)
- officialPPPL: PACMAN AI framework makes key fusion decisions in milliseconds
- pressScienceDaily: PACMAN AI framework for fusion
- pressPhys.org: PACMAN AI framework controls fusion systems safely
id: 2026-09-03-pppl-pacman-fusion-ai-control · updated 2026-09-29 · open in the interactive timeline