AI is set to consume up to 600 billion gallons of water by 2030 — rising energy consumption primarily to blame as data center power demands rise
Artificial intelligence is projected to consume a staggering 600 billion gallons of water by 2030, driven primarily by the escalating energy demands of data centers rather than direct cooling. While AI workloads currently account for 20% of global data center electricity-related water usage, this figure is expected to rise to 40% by 2030. This growing water consumption poses significant challenges, particularly for regions already facing water scarcity, and may become a critical factor in the approval and development of new data center projects. AI
IMPACT AI's escalating energy needs will significantly increase water consumption, potentially impacting data center development and exacerbating water scarcity issues.