AI will consume as much water in 2030 as 1.3B people

(english.elpais.com)

32 points | by dnnddidiej 10 hours ago ago

15 comments

  • handoflixue 8 hours ago ago

    "The operation of AI will require 14,500 square kilometres of land"

    I'm always so confused by articles that try to scare you with big numbers. We have tons of land. Land is one of the few things we are not at all running out of, especially in the USA. The USA is 9,372,610 square kilometers. 1% of that is 93,000, so this is like 0.2% of the US?

    It's such a transparent scare tactic, and a clear sign the article isn't interested in raising any credible concerns - just rabble rousing.

    • dnnddidiej 5 hours ago ago

      But will data centres tend to be near hotspots like current AWS main regions or typical edge locations like major cities. Then add all other requirements and you get that you probably stick some of that IMBY rather than in the middle of the desert.

    • verdverm 8 hours ago ago

      Not to mention that there are different types of water cooled data centers. We can pass regulations to force them to use the type that does not use evaporative cooling.

      Does it cost more? Yes.

      Can they afford it? Yes.

  • FloorEgg 9 hours ago ago

    That's nothing... at the current rate, datacenters will consume the total energy input of earth's biosphere by 2100!

    https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1GQbS34OkMF6q9r0ZyuSv...

    • dnnddidiej 5 hours ago ago

      Will they be smart enough then to build infra in space i.e. dyson. Will they do mining of other planets? And will humans be pets.

      • free_bip 4 hours ago ago

        What makes you think infra in space is smart? How are you going to dissipate heat?

        • dnnddidiej 3 hours ago ago

          If you used all the planets light it is the only option. Radiation.

          • akomtu 2 hours ago ago

            A light source emitting gigawatts on the orbit is going to turn night into day.

  • Rebelgecko 4 hours ago ago

    Where does the water go, steam?

  • fennecbutt 7 hours ago ago

    And how does that compare to farming almonds, alfalfa or the beef industry for your all American hamburger?

    Ah, so you're a vegan? Well compare it then to the water used to produce your foods, to manufacture the van that brings you the food and the extraction of the oil that powers it.

    Without context, stats about datacenter water usage are FUD bullshit.

    *billion people in subsaharan Africa lovely clickbait title who needs AI for slop.

    Also a site that "pay us to decline cookies" can fuck right off.

  • codeddesign 9 hours ago ago

    So..what you are saying is that the movie Oblivion is a documentary.

  • postalrat 9 hours ago ago

    The sun will remain the largest consumer of water for a very long time.

  • rms2ds 9 hours ago ago

    Well the way its going, we will have so much more water when the iceburg(s) start really melting so problem solved right? lol

    • dragonwriter 2 hours ago ago

      Icebergs melting do not increase the supply of freshwater (Glaciers on land melting do, though perhaps not on an ongoing basis.)

  • damnitbuilds 8 hours ago ago

    "B"

    Because "billion" was too hard to type.