Every time there's a discussion of AI and water usage, I see folks with data center experience explaining how modern data centers don't consume water in the way articles about AI describe, how you can effectively do things closed-loop and the like to avoid wasting water. I read those explanations, and go, yep, that's how the world works, that makes sense!

And then the AI companies keep burying their usage numbers in corporate secrets.

Like, if the numbers were that good, why keep them secret? Why fight that goddamned hard to keep anyone from learning how much water AI data centers actually use?

I mean, yeah, I get it, I'm not trying to challenge folks on how data centers work — but there's a disconnect.

@xgranade because they don't think the people concerned about ecological effects matter, because they see usage numbers of their customers. meanwhile they're wildly protective about their deployed infrastructure and capacities, and they see this kind of information as leaking information about their actual deployments
@iximeow Makes sense. Just very worrisome how much that extends into fucking with local governments to prevent existing transparency laws from mattering.