According to a recent report from the think tank China Water Risk, the expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) and the water demands of China’s data centers could have a significant impact on water resources.
The Hong Kong-based non-profit estimated that China’s data centers currently consume approximately 1.3 billion cubic meters (343 billion gallons) of water monthly, equivalent to the residential water usage of 26 million people. With the expected increase in data centers, this figure could surpass 3 billion cubic meters by 2030, more than double the water needs of North Korean residents.
Data centers require water for cooling information technology equipment and also utilize water from coal-powered energy generation.
To bridge the gap with the United States, China is urged to focus on expanding its domestic AI sector.
The report predicts that China could have over 11 million data center containers by 2030, nearly three times the number in 2020, around 4 million.
The rising demand for water from the information and communication technology (ICT) sector, particularly driven by the growing generative AI industry, is a concern highlighted in the report.
As per a study mentioned in the report, large language models like GPT-3 consume significant amounts of water for cooling. For instance, GPT-3 reportedly uses 500 milliliters of water for every 10 to 50 messages it generates, significantly more than the water required for 50 Google searches.
The intensifying competition in the AI field, exemplified by Moonshot AI and Baidu’s Ernie Bot, is expected to further impact water consumption.
The report emphasizes the increasing importance of water management in the ICT sector, especially with the launch of AI services by Chinese tech giants like Baidu, Tencent, and Alibaba.
The authors stress the need for proactive measures to address water risks, suggesting strategies such as offsetting water footprints, enhancing water efficiency, and adopting climate-friendly practices.
Furthermore, the report calls for the Chinese government to implement stricter regulations and standards to improve water usage efficiency in the ICT industry, particularly in water-scarce regions.
With a significant portion of China’s data center racks situated in the basins of key rivers like the Yellow River, the Yangtze River, and the Pearl River, sustainable water management practices are crucial for the industry’s future sustainability.
