DAIROct 2, 2023

"Microsoft increased worldwide water consumption by a whopping 34 percent — up to almost 1.7 billion gallons annually — last year, which outside researchers told the AP is most likely due to increased AI training. That's dwarfed by Google, which used 5.6 billion gallons last year, a 20 percent jump that's also likely attributable to machine learning." Via Tech Won't Save Us.

https://futurism.com/critics-microsoft-water-train-ai-drought

Critics Furious Microsoft Is Training AI by Sucking Up Water During Drought

Some people in Iowa are mad that Microsoft used a ton of water to train AI while Iowa has been in a drought caused by climate change.

Futurism
Show threadvirkonOct 2, 2023
@DAIR
Interesting. I wasn't aware, that those data centers need so much water. Looks like they are going to have a similar problem as those nuclear power-plants in, say, France. No water cooling, no nuclear power.
Show threadcatraxx Oct 2, 2023
@virkon42 @DAIR The difference being that the nuclear power plants actually produce power, while Datacenters consume incredible amounts of it.
Show threadvirkon
@catraxx @DAIR Yes indeed. While competing for the same resource for the very same reason.
Oct 3, 2023 at 4:22amWeb