AI’s growing hunger for water is becoming a public health risk

“Bubble” is probably the word most associated with “AI” at the moment, although we’re starting to realize that it’s not just an economic time bomb; it also poses significant public health risks. Beyond the release of pollutants, the enormous demand for clean water from AI data centers can compromise sanitation and worsen gastrointestinal illnesses in surrounding communities, putting additional strain on local healthcare infrastructure.

The energy consumption of AI is enormous and increasingly dependent on water

Generative AI is artificial intelligence capable of generating new texts, photos, codes, and more, and it has already infiltrated the lives of most people around the world. ChatGPT alone reportedly receives around a billion requests in a single day, indicating huge demand at the individual level.

However, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Companies like Google, Apple and Microsoft are now integrating AI into their key products. Applications that use search results quickly…