this post was submitted on 15 Sep 2025
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Whether you use AI, think it's a "fun stupid thing for memes", or even ignore it, you should know it's already polluting worse than global air travel. (archive.is)
submitted 2 months ago by Reygle@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world
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archive.is link to article from allabout.ai at https://www.allaboutai.com/resources/ai-statistics/ai-environment/

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[–] FreedomAdvocate@lemmy.net.au -5 points 2 months ago (2 children)

As soon as you see water consumption being called an issue you know it’s not to be taken seriously. Water doesn’t just disappear.

[–] gens@programming.dev 9 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Water has to be cleaned. It is renewable, not free. My city has many sources, but most places where they build datacenters do not. It is a real problem

Either way the biggest proble, IMO, is the pressure on the electric grid. If the asshats building the centers would cooperate with others, there would be much less problems.

As for power usage, yea its a lot but still not an insane amount. The image and video generation uses a LOT more then text.

[–] very_well_lost@lemmy.world 4 points 2 months ago

It is renewable, not free.

"Renewable" also doesn't mean shit if the resource is being consumed faster than it's being renewed. Ask the people who used to live on the shores of the Aral Sea how "renewable" their water was.

[–] Wildmimic@anarchist.nexus 1 points 2 months ago

image gen isn't so heavy either, but even i who arguments against this "AI is killing the environment"-bullshit agree on the video gen - there is a lot of power usage behind that one. might still not be an issue if using renewables, but if you use elon's illegally gas turbine powered AI, then it's fucking bad.

[–] Reygle@lemmy.world 0 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Surely you understand clean FRESH water is a limited resource. Renewable sure, but LIMITED.

[–] FreedomAdvocate@lemmy.net.au 1 points 2 months ago (1 children)

They don’t need fresh water, nor do they dirty it.

[–] Reygle@lemmy.world 0 points 2 months ago

Are you suggesting they're cooling data centers with seawater