Source: Inside Climate News

Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing industries worldwide, but its environmental impact is becoming a growing concern, particularly regarding water consumption. AI-driven technologies, especially large language models and data centers, require substantial amounts of water for cooling to prevent overheating. According to Shaolei Ren, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of California, Riverside, AI systems are more resource-intensive than most people realize.

For example, creating a simple 100-word response from an AI system can use as much energy as fully charging a smartphone, and cooling the servers involved can consume a bottle of water. As AI models expand in size and complexity, their water and energy usage scales proportionally. The water consumed in the cooling process evaporates and cannot be immediately reused, creating further strain on local water supplies.

In regions like Memphis, where Elon Musk plans to build a massive data center, local utilities estimate that such a facility could require up to a million gallons of water per day. This has sparked debates about the trade-offs between economic benefits, such as job creation, and the environmental costs, including significant water consumption.

AI companies, including giants like Microsoft, Meta, and Google, have shown interest in making their technologies more water-efficient, but the real-world results are often less optimistic than research suggests. As AI’s role in everyday life continues to grow, the environmental costs cannot be ignored, raising questions about the sustainability of AI technologies.

In response to these concerns, experts are calling for more stringent regulations that require AI companies to disclose their environmental impact and take steps to minimize their water and energy consumption. AI’s potential to revolutionize industries must be balanced with a commitment to sustainable practices that do not exacerbate water scarcity or environmental degradation.