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

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

December 4, 2024

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.

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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.

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OpenAI Executive Brad Lightcap Leaves Company To Launch New Venture

by News Editor

August 12, 2026

Brad Lightcap, one of OpenAI’s longest-serving executives, is leaving the AI company to pursue a new venture after more than eight years with the organisation.

Lightcap announced his departure in a message to OpenAI employees on Tuesday, saying he was moving on to “start something new”. He did not provide details about his plans but said he would share more in the future.

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From CFO To Chief Operating Officer

Lightcap joined OpenAI in 2018 and spent four years as chief financial officer before becoming chief operating officer in 2022. In the role, he helped build and oversee teams covering finance, legal, human resources, corporate security, government and business development, as well as partnerships.

Earlier this year, OpenAI reorganised its executive structure and moved Lightcap into a role focused on special projects. Before joining OpenAI, he worked with CEO Sam Altman at venture capital firm Y Combinator.

OpenAI Faces Executive Turnover

Lightcap’s departure comes during a period of significant changes at the top of OpenAI. In July, Fidji Simo, who had served as the company’s No. 2 executive and led its AGI efforts, announced that she would step down from the role.

Several other senior executives have also left the company in recent months, including former Sora chief Bill Peebles and Kevin Weil, who previously led OpenAI’s Science division. The leadership changes come as OpenAI prepares for a potential IPO that could become one of the most significant technology listings in recent years.

Lightcap Hints At What Comes Next

In his departure message, Lightcap said he had spent recent months thinking about “the next horizon” and the challenges that could affect the success of OpenAI’s mission.

He suggested that his next project would address “important new things” the world will need to get right in the coming years, without revealing further details. Lightcap also expressed continued confidence in OpenAI, saying he believes in the company “more than ever” and plans to support its mission from a different position.