Your AI Chats Use More Water Than You Might Think

We hear a lot about how much electricity artificial intelligence (AI) uses, and rightly so. But there's another hidden cost to running these powerful systems that's just starting to get attention: water. New studies are highlighting that every time you use AI, whether it's to write an email with ChatGPT or generate an image, it consumes a surprising amount of water.

This isn't about AI drinking water, of course. It's about how data centres – those huge warehouses full of computers that power AI – need to stay cool. All that computing power generates a lot of heat, and to stop the machines overheating and breaking down, these centres use massive amounts of water for cooling. This can be through evaporation cooling towers, or by directly circulating water to cool components.

The amount of water used for a single AI interaction might seem small, but when you consider how many people are using AI tools every second around the globe, it adds up very quickly. For example, some estimates suggest that one average conversation with a large AI model could consume half a litre of water. Think about that for every email you draft or every question you ask.

For Australian small businesses, this understanding is important. While it might not directly impact your water bill, it highlights the broader environmental considerations of the technology we're all increasingly relying on. As AI tools become more integrated into our daily work, being aware of their overall footprint helps us make more informed choices and supports the demand for more sustainable AI development.

This isn't a reason to stop using AI, but rather a reminder that powerful technology comes with responsibilities. It encourages developers to find more water-efficient cooling methods and for users to be mindful of their usage. It's all part of the bigger picture of using technology wisely, for both our businesses and the planet.