Kathmandu. Fingers move across the mobile screen, the question is typed and the answer appears in a matter of seconds. Today, AI has become such a common part of our lives that we can’t even stop to think about what’s behind it.
The AI that we believe to be smart, fast and futuristic is quietly consuming the Earth’s water and in such quantities that alarm bells are now ringing. There is an ongoing debate about how to stop it and what alternatives exist.
Recent research has revealed that the annual water consumption of AI systems could now exceed the amount of water used in bottled water globally within a year. These statistics may seem strange, but within the tech industry, the truth is becoming clearer.
Is AI drinking more water than humans?
AI is not a magical miracle. Behind it are huge data centers. A place where thousands of servers run day and night. When these servers are operational, they heat up. It uses water to control heating. This water is actually the real fuel of AI. Most users have never been told about it.
Research shows that by 2025, AI-powered systems could consume 300 to 700 billion liters of water annually. By comparison, this amount is more than the total amount of bottled water sold worldwide. This means that AI machines are quietly using more water than people actually buy and drink.
Water and Electricity
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The issue isn’t just limited to water. These data centers require a large amount of electricity to operate, and electricity means more carbon emissions. It is estimated that the carbon footprint generated by AI in the future could be equivalent to the annual pollution of many major cities. However, this has not yet been openly discussed. That’s because most big tech companies don’t publicly disclose the actual water and electricity consumption of their data centers.
What’s interesting is that even if each AI question seems small, it adds to its impact. When millions of people use AI devices every day, these tiny water consumption adds up to billions of liters. So now experts are warning that if this pace of AI continues without planning, water scarcity will increase.
The world is already grappling with a water crisis. Water supply is limited in many cities, groundwater levels in villages are depleting and climate change is worsening the situation. In this context, AI’s increasing water consumption raises a new and important question. Experts believe that future generations are paying the price for this technology.
Stopping AI is neither possible nor necessary. However, it is now clear that smart features and quick answers alone are not enough. The question also arises: How much water is AI using, where is it coming from, and who will be responsible? Many AI companies are also working on options to reduce water and power consumption.
