Oklo surges on DOE AI data center nuclear push and Trump-approved Saudi civilian nuclear deal

Howard Smith, The Motley Fool Wed, July 22, 2026 at 9:27 AM PDT | 2 min read

• OKLO: +1.02%
• NVDA: +3.06%

Shares of Oklo (NYSE: OKLO) surged higher today following two key developments. The advanced nuclear reactor developer is positioning itself to benefit from the growing power demands of artificial intelligence (AI) data centers, while a separate international opportunity may also be emerging.

Oklo stock jumped as much as 7.7% and remained up by 3.6% as of 11:27 a.m. ET.

Nuclear at Home and Abroad

A U.S. Department of Energy initiative aimed at accelerating reactor development for AI data centers has driven investor interest in related stocks today. Oklo is reportedly one of the suppliers joining major technology firms in a $200 million plan to help power AI data centers in the United States.

That was not the only news boosting Oklo shares today. Separately, reports indicated that President Trump has approved a landmark agreement with Saudi Arabia. The deal would see the U.S. support the creation of a civilian nuclear power program, with American companies building the infrastructure.

According to reports, administration officials stated the agreement could potentially allow for uranium enrichment within Saudi territory. The newly established deal, set to span 30 years, could be valued at tens of billions of dollars and aims to position American companies at the forefront of developing Saudi Arabia's nuclear infrastructure.

Oklo and other U.S. nuclear firms could be significant beneficiaries. However, investors should note that the stock remains speculative, and no concrete orders have been announced. The potential for future business is nonetheless driving Oklo stock higher today.

Should You Buy Stock in Oklo Right Now?

Before you buy stock in Oklo, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team has identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now — and Oklo was not among them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce strong returns in the coming years.

Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004: if you invested $1,000 at the time of the recommendation, you'd have $370,332. Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005: if you invested $1,000 at the time of the recommendation, you'd have $1,272,280.

It's worth noting that Stock Advisor's total average return is 904% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 208% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.

See the 10 stocks »