"Majority of US’s new AI datacenters to be built on drought-hit land" # US # USA # America # AI # ArtificialIntelligence https://www. theguardian.com/us-news/20
A significant portion of new AI data centers in the U.S. are being constructed in areas experiencing drought conditions. Approximately two-thirds of the 809 planned data centers are located in regions that have faced water shortages over the past year. While data center cooling accounts for a smaller percentage of AI's water demand, the fabrication of chips and the power generation required to run them contribute substantially to the overall water usage, exacerbating concerns in already water-scarce regions. AI
IMPACT Accelerates demand for water resources in already stressed regions, potentially leading to conflicts over allocation and necessitating new regulatory approaches.