The hidden environmental costs of the AI revolution
AI research, particularly the development of large language models such as ChatGPT, has led to a significant increase in global water consumption, according to Microsoft’s environmental report. The data centers require considerable amounts of water for cooling, which is particularly relevant for server infrastructure in hot climates such as Arizona.
Infrastructure in Iowa shows how siting and climate can affect resource needs, but there are concerns about the long-term impact on local water supplies and ecosystems.