Oklo Shares Stabilize After Sharp 2026 Pullback as AI Power Demand Keeps Spotlight on Nuclear Startup

Advanced nuclear developer Oklo has spent much of 2026 giving back the enormous gains it racked up last year, but the stock showed signs of life in Tuesday trading. Shares of Oklo Inc. (NYSE: OKLO) changed hands at $41.27, up 3.33% from the prior close of $39.94, valuing the company at roughly $6.76 billion.

The California-based company sits at the intersection of two big themes: nuclear energy and the surging electricity needs of AI data centers. Oklo is developing the Aurora Powerhouse, a compact fission plant designed to generate between 15 and 75 megawatts of electricity, and is also working to commercialize nuclear fuel recycling and fuel fabrication. Rather than selling chips or AI software, the company aims to supply the steady, around-the-clock power that large-scale computing facilities require.

That positioning made Oklo a favorite among investors looking for less obvious ways to play the AI buildout, alongside more prominent names like NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA) and Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: PLTR). NVIDIA, which describes itself as a data center-scale AI infrastructure company, remains the sector’s largest player with a market capitalization of about $5.56 trillion; its shares traded at $223.67 on Tuesday, down 0.73%. Palantir, whose software platforms serve the intelligence community and commercial customers, saw its stock slip 0.64% to $169.53, leaving it with a market cap near $407.39 billion.

Oklo’s trajectory has been far more volatile. The stock surged 238% in value last year as enthusiasm for AI-linked power plays intensified, but it has lost roughly half of that value so far in 2026. The pullback reflects the broader difficulty of valuing pre-revenue nuclear developers whose commercial timelines depend on regulatory approvals, fuel supply arrangements, and the pace of data center construction. Tuesday’s 3.33% gain suggests some near-term appetite for the shares has returned, though the company still trades well below its prior peak.

For companies in the AI supply chain, the contrast is notable: the mega-cap chip and software names have held relatively steady, while smaller energy-transition plays tied to the same theme have experienced much wider swings in both directions.

What to watch

• Progress on regulatory milestones for Oklo’s Aurora Powerhouse, including licensing steps with federal nuclear regulators.
• Announcements of customer agreements or deployments tied to data center power demand.
• Updates on Oklo’s fuel recycling and fuel fabrication commercialization efforts.
• Upcoming earnings reports from NVIDIA and Palantir for signals on AI infrastructure spending trends.

Source: original release