The Environmental Cost of AI

By 2030, AI's water use will match the needs of 1.3 billion people while its power use triples that of 650 million.

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This was one of the key findings of a report by the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health, which looked at how AI use and AI data center operations is adversely affecting ecosystems.

Titled “The Environmental Cost of Artificial Intelligence: Carbon, Water, and Land Footprints” and released in time for the organization’s 30th anniversary, here are the report’s key takeaways.

Environmental Impact

AI’s environmental footprint goes beyond electricity use, as it encompasses significant carbon, water, and land impacts which are often mismeasured when evaluated through a single metric.

The report underscores this, noting that AI’s rapid growth drives huge energy, water and land use raising environmental and equity challenges across its global infrastructure.