#climate discourse

Here’s the reality: nearly the entire Internet is hosted on servers. And those servers live in data centres. And those data centres? They use water. Lots of it. Just like AI models do.

But let’s take a step back. AI—especially stuff like ChatGPT—has only been widely used for a few years. Meanwhile, the rest of the web—social media, cloud gaming, streaming, crypto mining, e-commerce, and yes, Tumblr—has been burning electricity and water for decades.

So before we start blaming AI alone for climate collapse, maybe we should look at the rest of the digital landscape too. Because that Spotify playlist? That hour of Netflix? That endless scroll through cat videos? All of it lives in the same server farms. All of it drinks from the same well.

Now, let’s take a look at how AI's environmental impact actually compares to the general use of the web.

Let’s Untangle the Lies (or at least the half-truths)

Yes, AI uses water. So does everything else on the internet. All of it runs on servers that need power, cooling, and maintenance.

The Facts:

The entire U.S. data centre industry uses an estimated 449 million gallons of water per day. (EESI)

A single hyperscale data centre (like those used by Google or Amazon) can consume ~550,000 gallons/day just for cooling. (Dgtl Infra)

AI inference (i.e. serving a request like this one) uses water too — sometimes ~1.5 L per long query, though many newer systems like Google's Gemini report as low as 0.26 mL per prompt. (Google)

The Mirror They Avoid Looking Into:

Netflix? That’s powered by water-guzzling servers.

Spotify? Same.

Instagram scrolling for three hours straight? You’re drinking from the same digital pipeline.

If you’re online, you’re using water. Period. AI didn’t invent the data centre. It just moved in after you built the place.

But Isn’t AI Making It Worse?

Sure — somewhat. But let’s not pretend it's a doomsday machine.

AI's global water footprint is projected to be 4.2 to 6.6 billion cubic meters by 2027. That sounds scary… until you realize that agriculture in the U.S. alone uses over 160 billion gallons PER DAY.

Also, most critics conveniently ignore that:

Many data centres reuse water or run on closed-loop systems

Some AI models are run in regions with water surpluses

A large chunk of water use is from electricity generation, not the AI model itself

And no, not all water used is lost — much of it is just circulated and returned

Spot the Red Flags in “AI Will Drain the Planet” Posts:

They say: “AI is killing our water supply!” Ask them: Which data centre? Which region? What cooling system?

They say: “AI should be banned for its impact!” Ask them: So should YouTube? Should cloud gaming?

They say: “AI uses water to generate a silly email!” Ask them: Do you know how much water Netflix used to stream The Kissing Booth 2*?*

They say: “AI water stats prove it’s unsustainable!” Ask them: Are those numbers actual consumption, or just withdrawals?

Okay, But What Should We Actually Do?

You want real solutions? Great — so do I.

Push for water usage transparency from AI and data centres

Demand sustainable cooling tech (liquid, closed-loop, reuse systems)

Support AI workloads in water-abundant regions

Advocate for public accountability, especially where data centres are near water-stressed communities

Hold *all* tech accountable — not just AI — for their environmental impact

Final Thought:

So the next time you:

add something to your online shopping cart,

hit “Continue Watching” on Netflix,

or share a reel warning us that “AI is destroying the planet”...

…maybe take a second to think about how much your own internet usage affects the environment, too.

Because this isn’t just an “AI problem.” It’s a digital world problem.

Let’s not pretend otherwise.

Sources & Further Reading:

Data Centers and Water Consumption – EESI

Data Center Water Usage – Digital Infra

Measuring the Environmental Impact of AI Inference – Google Cloud

How Hungry is AI? – Arxiv.org

The Hidden Cost of AI – OECD.ai