IIRC it depends on how you count it, if you are counting water use for hydro power then it uses shitloads. But places that use hydro usually have plenty of water to do that in the first place and any other datacentre would be the same, AI isn’t special. Any kind of factory would also use a lot.
but AI is increasing the rate at whoch data centers are being built which is putting enormous strain on a lot of communities with aging or inadequate public infrastructure and utilities like water and electricity. Some people have seen water and/or electricity prices double or have even lost access to their public utilities because everything is being routed to a nearby datacenter thats younger than their kids. And in many instances politicians are ignoring the communities they’re displacing because theres significant money involved.
IIRC it depends on how you count it, if you are counting water use for hydro power then it uses shitloads. But places that use hydro usually have plenty of water to do that in the first place and any other datacentre would be the same, AI isn’t special. Any kind of factory would also use a lot.
but AI is increasing the rate at whoch data centers are being built which is putting enormous strain on a lot of communities with aging or inadequate public infrastructure and utilities like water and electricity. Some people have seen water and/or electricity prices double or have even lost access to their public utilities because everything is being routed to a nearby datacenter thats younger than their kids. And in many instances politicians are ignoring the communities they’re displacing because theres significant money involved.