Ai wastes water and is harmful to the environment.

Question

The Guardian: ais-craving-for-data-is-matched-only-by-a-runaway-thirst-for-water-and-energy

 

Answer 1

This claim is partially true, according to data from foodandwaterwatch.org. AI systems do require a lot of energy and water, mostly through the data centers that power them. Water is used to cool servers and also indirectly through power plants that generate electricity. For example, a single AI training run can use hundreds of thousands of liters of water, and researchers predict AI could consume more water than the UK by 2027. This is especially concerning in places already dealing with drought. However, only a few drops are used per use.

https://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/2025/04/09/artificial-intelligence-water-climate

Comments

I agree with your conclusion, as the article doesn't specify technical measurements, even though the main claim is true. However, I believe the article states that the predicted AI water consumption would reach more than half of the UK’s annual water consumption, which highlights some technical inaccuracies in your response.