Generative Artificial Intelligence is considered by most people a real progress of modern days, perhaps it is, but what about its environmental awareness?

Recently, a study led by Alex de Vries-Gao showed that AI has consumed between 312,5 et 764,6 billion liters of water in 2025, compared to the industry of water bottling which has consumed 446 billion liters. What explains this massive consumption of water by generative AI?

When AI is used, calculations are run through data centers which overheat and must be cooled down with water. These data centers dry up rivers and whole areas which already struggle with the lack of water. The Spanish association Tu Nube Seca Mi Río (Ed.: your cloud dries up my river) denounces these abuses in Aragon and Castilla-la-Mancha (Ed.: both Spanish regions). They also denounce a form of bluewashing from the big tech companies assisting forums such as TechForWater.

“Between 312,5 et 764,6 billion liters of water”, this blurry figure is mainly caused by the lack of transparency of the big tech companies who would like to keep quiet about the damages they engender. These estimations are imprecise, some talk about half a liter for an AI request, others about the same amount for five requests… 

Furthermore, AI doesn’t only steal water, it also steals ores of precious metals (such as cobalt) which are needed to build those overheating data centers. The countries in which these ores are dug up are evidently the same as always: the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, Cuba… These extractions threaten the life of the local populations, contaminate the soils and water… 

Adding to water and ores, AI needs electricity to function properly. The same study of the Dutch, Alex de Vries-Gao proves that a generative AI search could use up to 85 or 134 terawatt hours in 2027, which comes up to a Google search multiplied by ten. Researchers plan that in 2027, AI will use as much electricity as Argentina. 

Today, according to the IFOP (Ed.: French Institute of Public Opinion), AI is used daily by 85% of young people (18 to 24 years old) and 2.5 billion searches are made each day solely on ChatGPT. Still according to the IFOP, “these technologies are mainly used to carry out research (34%), save time in everyday life (28%), correct spelling mistakes (23%), stimulate creativity (13%), and boost self-confidence (10%)”. 

It is then our role, as gen-Z, to act on our consumption, stop using AI or at least reduce our usage of it since the big tech companies won’t make a change anytime soon. 

BlaBlaPresse is against the use of AI, we will keep writing our articles ourselves, with our photos and drawings.