AI’s Growing Thirst for Water Is Becoming a Public Health Risk

“Bubble” is probably the word most associated with “AI” right now, though we are slowly understanding that it is not just an economic time bomb; it also carries significant public health risks. Beyond the release of pollutants, the massive need for clean water by AI data centres can reduce sanitation and exacerbate gastrointestinal illness in nearby communities, placing additional strain on local health infrastructure.

AI’s energy consumption is massive and increasingly water-dependent

Generative AI is artificial intelligence that is able to generate new text, photos, code and more, and it has already infiltrated the lives of most people around the globe. ChatGPT alone is reported to receive around one billion queries in a single day, pointing to huge demand at the individual level.

This, however, is only the tip of the iceberg. Companies such as Google, Apple and Microsoft are now embedding AI into their key products. Applications that utilise search results are quickly moving to have AI as a new standard in their algorithms. Whether it is shopping on Amazon or booking a flight or a hotel, AI is now being used in searches, and that demands more energy. As an example, a single AI-powered Google search is estimated to use up to 30 times more energy than its standard version.