AI data centers’ rapidly expanding energy consumption, projected to nearly double to 950 terawatt-hours by 2030, is straining global power grids and water supplies, with individual facilities consuming up to 2.5 billion liters of water annually. Communities face immediate risks from increased reliance on fossil fuels and diesel generators that raise air pollution and climate emissions. Experts note that AI could simultaneously help mitigate these crises through applications such as renewable energy forecasting and water leak detection, though standardization and efficiency improvements remain critical barriers to sustainable deployment.
