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.

Follow THE FUTURE on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and Telegram

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.

The Future Forbes Realty Global Properties

X Shifts U.S. Creator Payouts To X Money With No Minimum Threshold

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

September 3, 2026

X said Wednesday that all creator payouts in the U.S. will now be processed through X Money, its payments service, with the change taking effect immediately.

The new system covers earnings from X’s Original Content Rewards Program and creator subscriptions, according to X Creators. U.S. creators will receive access to their funds as soon as payouts are sent, the company said.

Follow THE FUTURE on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and Telegram

Instant Access Replaces Biweekly Payouts

Previously, X paid creators every two weeks and required them to earn at least $30 before receiving a payout, according to the company’s documentation.

Under X Money, creators no longer need to wait for the end of a billing cycle or meet a minimum threshold. The faster access could be particularly useful for independent publishers and smaller creators who rely on regular payments for operating expenses.

U.S. Creators Must Switch From Stripe

The change is mandatory for creators in the U.S. Those previously receiving payments through Stripe will have to move to X Money, an X representative confirmed. Creators outside the U.S. will continue receiving payouts through Stripe.

X Reshapes Creator Monetization

The payments change comes as X prepares to retire its Creator Revenue Sharing Program on Sept. 7. The program stopped accepting new members last month, and creators are being moved to the Original Content Rewards Program, which emphasizes original content.

The shift is part of X’s broader effort to restructure creator monetization around content produced for the platform.

X Money Expands Musk’s Payments Strategy

X Money, which began supporting creator payouts earlier this month, is part of Elon Musk’s effort to turn X into an “everything app.”

The service offers a bank card with 3% cash back, instant payments, free ATM withdrawals and other digital banking features. X Money is not a bank, however. Customer accounts are held at Cross River Bank, an FDIC-insured institution.

Payouts Also Affect Interest And Tax Reporting

Creator payouts will count toward the direct deposit requirements for X Money’s higher APY rate. According to X Money’s interest FAQ, X Premium users can receive a 6% rate, compared with 4% for the standard rate.

X said it will issue a 1099-NEC to individuals receiving creator payouts. For LLCs, the company will collect W-9 information for tax reporting purposes.

Breaking news