AI Could Use as Much Water as 1.3 Billion People by 2030, U.N. Report Warns
A U.N. report warns that artificial intelligence could consume as much water as 1.3 billion people by 2030, raising concerns about resource sustainability. The report highlights the often-overlooked water and land footprints of AI's electricity use, which could exacerbate existing environmental challenges. It also points to a growing digital divide, where wealthier nations benefit from AI infrastructure while lower-income countries struggle to participate.
- ▪AI's water usage is projected to equal the basic domestic needs of 1.3 billion people in Sub-Saharan Africa by 2030.
- ▪Data centers are expected to consume 945 terawatt-hours of electricity by 2030, nearly triple the annual usage of Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nigeria combined.
- ▪The report emphasizes that switching to cleaner energy sources may worsen water and land footprints, complicating sustainability efforts.
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The water used by artificial intelligence is expected to equal the needs of 1.3 billion people by 2030—threatening natural resources for billions around the world. That’s according to a new report from the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH) which quantifies the carbon, water, and land footprints of AI's electricity use around the globe. The report finds that AI’s environmental cost is often mismeasured—focusing solely on carbon emissions.
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