The Guardian AI·
Readers respond to an article about Erin Brockovich’s battle against datacentres and voice their fears for the environment What are the benefits obtained from AI’s massive use of electricity and water (‘We’re up against forces that have all the money in the world’: Erin Brockovich on her battle against AI datacentres, 29 June)? Analysis shows that the top four uses of AI are “therapy/companionship”, “technical assistance and troubleshooting”, “fun and nonsense”, and “fan fiction and storytelling”. AI use for therapy, and due to loneliness, appears not to reduce loneliness. AI provides affirmation, but at the expense of reducing the social skills needed to interact in the real world. Teachers report that students’ use of AI reduces their capacity for critical thinking. Continue reading...
Read full articleHotter-running liquid cooling could reduce the need for evaporative cooling on-site. But the facilities’ appetite for electricity still carries a large hidden water footprint.
In 1993, she squeezed a $333m settlement from a Californian energy company in a scandal over contaminated water. Three decades later, she has a new target in her sights – and it’s global When Erin Brockovich woke to find 30 emails from people from the same town, she realised something was going on. People email Brockovich all the time because of what happened in 1993, when she was instrumental in suing Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) on behalf of residents of the town of Hinkley, California, whose groundwater had been contaminated. The case resulted in a settlement of $333m – then the largest ever payout for a direct-action lawsuit. When she was immortalised by Julia Roberts in the 2000 film Erin Brockovich, she became the hero we didn’t know we needed, a modern day Joan of Arc. She had won against PG&E with no formal legal training. The emails she received a few weeks ago were about datacentres. In April, she put a callout on her website asking for anyone with concerns about o
The maker of ChatGPT plans to use enough chips to consume 10 gigawatts of electricity, an amount that could power millions of households.
AI's rapid growth could exacerbate global resource inequalities, necessitating sustainable practices and transparency to mitigate environmental impacts. The post UN warns AI boom could strain water, power, and waste systems on a staggering scale appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
Arizona's AI-driven data center growth strains energy and water resources, prompting regulatory actions and necessitating sustainable solutions. The post Arizona emerges as test case for AI’s energy and water challenges appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
A new research report from the global organization provides a sobering account of the damage data centers are having on the global environment and what their growth could mean for the future.
Amazon's water usage highlights the urgent need for sustainable practices in tech, as AI growth strains resources and regulatory pressures mount. The post Amazon’s data centers withdrew 2.5 billion gallons of water in 2025, and the AI boom is just getting started appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
Amazon's water usage disclosure may drive industry-wide transparency, influencing ESG investments and highlighting regional water stress risks. The post Amazon withdraws 2.5 billion gallons of water for data centers in 2025 appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
