AI’s Hidden Cost

TECH

By Aniket Chakraborty June 7, 2025 Arrow

These data centres suck up electricity like entire countries—Sweden in 2024 alone.

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By 2026, AI data centres could rival Germany’s yearly energy use.

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ChatGPT prompts seem light—but add up to 10 TWh a year at scale.

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AI image generators? One shot uses as much power as charging your phone.

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Cooling these AI hubs demands water—6 billion gallons for Google in 2024.

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Even a few Bard queries can drain half a litre, thanks to server heat.

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Big Tech is trying: Microsoft cut water use with reclaimed systems and smarter cooling.

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But most green AI efforts can’t match its wild growth in demand.

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On World Environment Day, let’s rethink AI’s future—or watch it drain ours.

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