"We still do not appreciate the energy needs of this technology." - Sam Altman, CEO, OpenAI
Rising cost of intelligence
Big Tech firms from US are pouring $60 billion into Indian data centres to power their AI growth. Every query we sent to AI consumes electricity and water. While one request seems small, the cumulative impact of millions of users threatens to drain resources and increase carbon emissions. This is a raging global debate now - AI versus the planet.
National power grid strained
Power demand in India will likely double by 2030. This growth pressures an electrical grid already facing peak month challenges. Power experts warn that without infrastructure upgrades, this energy surge could lead to more frequent blackouts across stressed urban areas. That can lead to a backlash against AI itself.
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The thirst
These facilities require vast amounts of water for cooling systems. Projections suggest consumption will grow to 358 billion litres by 2025. This is concerning in water-stressed regions where local communities and agriculture compete for limited supplies of resources. Inevitably, mass resistance to such consumption may begin if things aren't managed well.
Path forward
Large companies are now looking toward renewable energy hubs in states like Gujarat. By using solar and wind power, data centres can reduce coal reliance to some extent. Adopting air cooling or closed loop systems also lowers the fresh water required for operations. But all these are to be tried and proven.
Hardware innovation
Technological progress offers hope as firms like Nvidia develop efficient chips. New hardware delivers more power per watt. If ai optimizes its own infrastructure, it may help solve environmental problems created by its own expansion and massive global energy needs.
Summary
Big tech investment in India threatens to strain power and water resources. To ensure sustainability, companies must adopt renewable energy, advanced cooling, and efficient hardware to balance technological growth with environmental care.
Food for thought
Can the AI that consumes so much eventually discover the solutions to make itself sustainable?
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AI concept to learn: Power usage effectiveness
This metric measures how efficiently a data centre uses energy by comparing total power entering the facility to power used by computing equipment. A score of one represents perfect efficiency where no energy is wasted on cooling. It helps engineers identify where they can reduce waste.
[The Billion Hopes Research Team shares the latest AI updates for learning and awareness. Various sources are used. All copyrights acknowledged. This is not a professional, financial, personal or medical advice. Please consult domain experts before making decisions. Feedback welcome!]
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