Much of the press about the new boom in required computing capacity for artificial intelligence has been about its massive energy requirements. But with the climate-endangering risks of a doubling or tripling of energy use in the next five years also comes with another crucial challenge: Data centers are becoming thirstier and thirstier.
A new report from the International Energy Agency said worldwide water consumption from AI could more than double, from 560 billion liters in 2023 to 1.2 trillion liters by 2030, according to the San Francisco Examiner. A second report from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory paints an even more dire picture. According to LBNL, water use from AI could exceed 2 trillion liters by 2028.
As extreme heat due to climate change threatens water sources all over the globe, the stunning increase in water demand for AI is a threat not to be taken lightly.
Greg Zimmerman is senior contributing editor for FacilitiesNet.com and Building Operating Management magazine.
