Artificial intelligence (AI) is having an unintended impact on a vital resource – water. As AI systems expand their reach, they demand colossal computing power housed in sprawling data centres.
These data centres, in turn, require vast quantities of water for cooling, adding to concerns about the environmental sustainability of AI growth.
Microsoft’s Soaring Water Consumption
In a shocking revelation, Microsoft, one of the tech industry’s biggest companies, consumed more than 2,500 Olympic-sized swimming pools worth of water in its data centres in the previous year alone.
This figure, as disclosed in Microsoft’s latest environmental report, has sent ripples of concern throughout the tech world. The numbers reflect a 34% increase in water consumption between 2021…
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