Breaking news

Amazon To Test AI-Created Material For Carbon Capture In Data Centers

Amazon is stepping up its environmental efforts by testing a groundbreaking carbon-removal material for its data centers. The company, which is tackling the growing emissions linked to the artificial intelligence systems powering these centers, has partnered with Orbital Materials, a startup that used AI to design the innovative substance.

Jonathan Godwin, CEO of Orbital Materials, explained that the new material acts like an atomic-level sponge, with cavities precisely sized to capture CO2 without interacting with other elements. This targeted approach could be a game-changer in carbon filtration.

One of the appealing aspects of the new material is its cost-effectiveness. Godwin estimates that the material could account for just 10% of the cost associated with renting a GPU chip for AI training, significantly less than the price of traditional carbon offsets.

Meanwhile, the demand for energy in data centers is rising, as AI’s rapid development requires more power and cooling solutions. This surge poses a challenge for Amazon, which is committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.

Amazon Web Services (AWS), the world’s largest cloud provider by revenue, plans to begin piloting the AI-designed carbon removal material in one of its data centers starting in 2025. This initiative is part of a three-year collaboration with Orbital, which will also gain access to AWS’s technology and open-source AI tools for further development.

Howard Gefen, General Manager of AWS Energy & Utilities, stated that the partnership would promote sustainable innovation, but financial details remain undisclosed. Orbital, with offices in Princeton, New Jersey, and London, began its journey about a year ago by setting up a lab to synthesize AI-designed materials. The startup aims to work with AWS to test additional AI-generated solutions, addressing water usage and cooling requirements in data centers. Godwin co-founded Orbital, which currently employs 20 people and is supported by investors such as Radical Ventures and Nvidia’s venture arm. Before this, Godwin contributed to materials science work at Alphabet’s DeepMind until 2022.

Disney Brings TikTok Fan Content To Disney+

Disney is partnering with TikTok to bring fan-created videos directly into the Disney+ app, as streaming platforms increasingly compete with social media for audience attention.

The initiative will launch as a pilot programme in the United States over the coming months before expanding to additional markets.

Under the agreement, TikTok videos featuring Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and other franchises will appear in “Verts,” Disney+’s short-form video feed introduced earlier this year. The partnership expands the platform’s library of short-form content while giving fan creators greater visibility within Disney’s streaming ecosystem.

Creators Become Part Of Disney’s Strategy

The collaboration also marks the launch of the Disney Creator Ambassador Program, which will give selected TikTok creators access to Disney’s content library, exclusive events, rewards and career opportunities.

The move reflects Disney’s growing focus on the creator economy after earlier plans to expand short-form content through a three-year licensing agreement with OpenAI. That initiative, which included a reported $1 billion investment tied to Sora, was abandoned after OpenAI shut down the video-generation platform in March.

Other streaming services, including Tubi and Peacock, have also partnered with TikTok creators to develop original content, highlighting a broader shift toward integrating social media talent into streaming platforms.

Strong Streaming Results

The announcement coincides with Disney’s third-quarter earnings. The company reported that operating income from its subscription video-on-demand business more than doubled to $712 million, up from $329 million a year earlier.

Disney also announced a restructuring of its operations, moving its consumer products business from the Experiences division to Studios.

eCredo
The Future Forbes Realty Global Properties
Aretilaw firm
Uol

Become a Speaker

Become a Speaker

Become a Partner

Subscribe for our weekly newsletter