… Arizonans are watching it [AI] transform their desertscape firsthand, especially in newly-minted tech hubs like Phoenix, where previously empty, dusty lots have turned into data centers. But developers are clashing with neighbors who don’t want them next door. Residents of this water-strained state worry their wells will run dry. … AI uses water in two primary ways: on-site for cooling computer servers and off-site at the power plants that provide data centers with electricity. … In Arizona, a hotter climate that relies on intensive cooling, facilities processing GPT-3 requests used the same amount of water as in a 17-ounce water bottle per 16 queries, more than the national average. 

Other data center water use news:

• Capitol Media Services (Phoenix): Hobbs wants data center gifts axed in Arizona
• The Desert Review (Brawley, Calif.): AI data center debate continues at Imperial County workshop
• Al Jazeera: AI’s growing thirst for water is becoming a public health risk
• Colorado Public Radio: Colorado lawmakers brace for their biggest battle yet over AI data centers
• Sacramento Business Journal (Calif.): Sacramento clean fuel company Infinium launches cooling tech for AI data centers