California · Elon Musk · U.S. · Google · CBS News Technology
Some technologists have proposed more radical solutions
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Elon Musk has floated the idea of placing data centers in orbit, though experts see significant technical and economic hurdles.
Key facts
- The International Energy Agency estimates AI accounts for 15 to 20 percent of data center electricity demand, and by extension, its water use
- Scientists at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory estimate U.S. data centers used about 228 billion gallons of water in 2023
- The researchers project the total could grow to between 469 billion and 844 billion gallons by 2028, depending on factors ranging from data-center technology to the mix of energy sources feeding
- Scientists estimate U.S. crop production used about 183 trillion gallons of water in 2019
Summary
OpenAI's Sam Altman describes a similar amount, about one-fifteenth of a teaspoon. But another viral estimate says a short email written with AI's help uses a half-liter bottle of water. The difference is enormous: across those three widely shared claims, the largest amount is about 2,000 times the smallest. None of them is fully right. Others add the water used to generate the electricity that powers them. As figures ricochet across blogs, social media, protest signs and public meetings, nuance is lost.