Google’s growing foray into the energy-intensive field of artificial intelligence (AI) is causing a significant rise in its water consumption. According to Google’s 2023 Environmental Report, the tech giant used a staggering 5.6 billion gallons of water in 2022, representing a 20 percent increase from the previous year. This surge can primarily be attributed to the company’s expanding AI endeavors, as training these algorithms in colossal data centers requires substantial energy and water for cooling purposes.
What’s concerning is that the majority of this water isn’t sourced from streams but is clean enough to be used as drinking water. This issue becomes even more noteworthy against the backdrop of global water scarcity, which has become a pressing concern, particularly on the water-stricken West Coast, where Google is headquartered.
Alarming as it may sound, Google is not the only company grappling with this problem. Other tech giants like Meta and OpenAI are also consuming massive quantities of water to sustain their data centers, marking a significant hidden cost associated with the ongoing AI arms race. Experts estimate that Meta’s latest AI model, Llama 2, has doubled the company’s water intake compared to its predecessor.
The severity of the situation in terms of water scarcity is exemplified by Google’s planned data center in Arizona. Due to water shortages in the area, the facility had to switch to air-cooled technology, as reported by Insider.
In its defense, Google asserts that 82 percent of its freshwater usage in 2022 originated from regions categorized as having low water stress. However, this does not completely absolve the company from its escalating water consumption.
Fortunately, Google has pledged to make improvements in this regard. A spokesperson stated that the surge in water consumption was a result of business growth and aligned with other activity-based data. The company is actively working to address the impact of its water usage through a climate-conscious data center cooling approach and a water stewardship strategy. Their aim is to achieve a 120 percent replenishment target.
Ultimately, the mounting water consumption of tech giants like Google, Meta, and OpenAI is a matter of concern. As the demand for AI continues to surge, these companies must find innovative solutions to mitigate the environmental impact of their operations. The push for more sustainable practices, including energy-efficient data centers and responsible water stewardship, will be vital in preserving our planet’s precious resources.
