AI, Data Centers Consume Significant Energy and Water, Experts Say
Artificial intelligence and data centers are significant consumers of energy and water, exacerbating environmental concerns. Experts recommend users reduce unnecessary AI interactions and urge tech companies to be more transparent about their resource usage. Growing community opposition is emerging due to the environmental impact of data centers.
The article, an Associated Press story published in The Killeen Daily Herald, highlights that artificial intelligence and the data centers it relies on are consuming increasing amounts of energy and water, contributing to climate change and resource depletion. Experts, including cognitive computer scientist Sasha Luccioni and water scientist Kaveh Madani, stress that AI companies are often opaque about their actual resource usage. They argue that this trend runs counter to global decarbonization efforts, with Madani noting that the "cleanest form of AI use is no use" for simple tasks like recipes or calculations.
Globally, data centers consumed 448 trillion watt-hours of electricity last year, projected to more than double in four years. By 2030, the water required to cool data centers could reach nearly 2.5 trillion gallons, enough drinking water for the entire world for 1.7 years, according to a United Nations University report co-authored by Madani. An AI text response is equivalent to an efficient light bulb burning for two and a half minutes, an action performed 2.5 billion times daily by ChatGPT alone.
Experts advise individuals to consciously reduce their AI usage, be concise in queries, and opt out of AI in search engines when possible, citing alternatives like Ecosia, DuckDuckGo, and Startpage. Ana Pinheiro Privette, a former Amazon Web Services sustainability official, emphasized consumer power, noting that companies "listen if everybody suddenly starts caring about not having a footprint." The article also notes a rising tide of community opposition to data center developments, exemplified by protests in Texas and the significant water usage in Virginia data centers, with BaRupOn COO Balaji Tammabattula acknowledging that "the data center is the new boogeyman." He advocates for community collaboration in development.