Inevitable AI-Designed Materials to Cool and Decarbonize Data Centers with Orbital
May 27, 2025
Jonathan Godwin, Co-founder and CEO of Orbital Materials, dives into the innovative world of AI-driven materials designed to cool data centers while capturing CO₂. He shares insights on transitioning from DeepMind's AI roots to material engineering, emphasizing a 'design-before-experiment' philosophy. The conversation reveals how advanced materials are revolutionizing sustainability, the significance of developing a 'hero' product, and the strategic partnerships essential for maintaining an agile, asset-light operation in the industrial sector.
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Jonathan's AI to Materials Journey
- Jonathan Godwin transitioned from AI research at DeepMind to co-founding Orbital Materials. - His fascination with AI's predictive power inspired applying it to advanced materials for data centers.
AI Flips Materials Discovery
- Historically, materials discovery relied heavily on trial-and-error and human intuition. - Orbital aims to flip this by starting with AI-driven design before experimentation.
AI Democratizes Materials Innovation
- AI accelerates materials R&D, enabling startups to perform foundational research previously limited to big institutions. - This will lead to more companies innovating faster and with less capital.