How much of a problem is AI’s water use?
Summary
The article examines AI’s growing water footprint, driven by cooling needs for data centers and the electricity they require. It cites studies and expert estimates showing data-center cooling used about 66 billion liters of water in 2023 (less than 1% of national consumption) but warns that demand could rise with more AI infrastructure; it also highlights cooling innovations, smarter siting, and renewable energy as ways to reduce water use, with potential reductions up to 86% under certain strategies.