July 15, 2025
The Ocean Cleanup and Amazon AWS Join Forces for AI-Driven Plastic Removal
Lots of businesses talk a good sustainability game, and many play their part across the corporate and encourage action at the individual level. But one of CXM’s most-admired efforts in the real world and making a massive difference is The Ocean Cleanup project.
Similar to how SpaceX has reinvented space launches, The Ocean Cleanup has, over a decade, designed and built the hardware to remove waste and plastic from our seas and rivers at scale. So far it has extracted over 64 million pounds of waste.
While not typically CXM material, the latest cleanup news is right in our ballpark, and a positive AI story. The project has partnered with Amazon AWS, applying AI to improve the accuracy of clean-up operations.
Amazon Helping Clean Up the Amazon and the Ocean
AWS’s AI-powered detection systems and cloud infrastructure will accelerate and scale the clean-up effort by enabling precise tracking of plastic accumulation and predictive modeling of debris movement. This will enable more optimised resource management and operational efficiency, improving The Ocean Cleanup’s ability to detect, track, and remove ocean plastic while simultaneously protecting marine life.
As these initiatives progress, The Ocean Cleanup, AWS, and Amazon anticipate uncovering new opportunities to deepen their collaborative approach to environmental challenges. “Plastic pollution represents one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time, and The Ocean Cleanup’s mission is vital for the health of our planet,” said Dr. Werner Vogels, CTO of Amazon.com.
“This collaboration demonstrates how advanced cloud computing and AI can serve as powerful tools for environmental stewardship, not only transforming oceanic data into actionable insights but also creating a blueprint for how technology can address critical environmental challenges across the globe.”
Fighting the Biggest Clean-Up Battle
To overcome the enormous scale and complexity of ocean plastic pollution, the collaboration will focus on two mission-critical initiatives that address current technological limitations and challenges by:
First, developing a New AI-Powered System for Enhanced Ocean Plastic Detection and Tracking: Through the development and implementation of an advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning platform, The Ocean Cleanup will be able to more effectively identify, track, and predict ocean plastic accumulation. Initially, the initiative will focus on developing “hotspot hunting” capabilities in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, where floating plastic is unevenly dispersed across the surface.
AWS will provide a range of technologies from IoT, satellite, and edge computing to deploying drones and ruggedized flotation devices to precisely track plastic accumulation. By leveraging high-performance computing for advanced data modelling, AWS will support The Ocean Cleanup in the creation of a “plastic navigation” system that predicts debris movement and optimizes cleanup operations. The solution will integrate data from multiple sources including open data mechanisms and The Ocean Cleanup’s data models, allowing ships to be steered toward optimal collection areas based on near-real-time measurements.
As well as implementing a Cloud-Based Infrastructure for Marine Life Protection: Through the creation of new AI-driven technologies, AWS will help The Ocean Cleanup further improve their marine life detection systems. Additionally, the automated capability will reduce The Ocean Cleanup’s need for Protected Species Observers, individuals who provide continuous cleanup monitoring 24 hours a day. This will help to reduce costs and free up more resources for plastic extraction.
Follow the project for the latest news as it does more than most to help the planet. And while not every business can be a eco-leader, see how the Finalists of the International Sustainability Awards 2025 are doing their bit to change the world.
