12/11/2025
The AI boom comes with a hidden environmental price tag.💧
As artificial intelligence becomes part of daily life, its environmental footprint is quietly ballooning. A new Cornell study finds that if AI keeps growing at its current pace, U.S. data centers could pump 24 to 44 million metric tons of CO2 into the atmosphere every year by 2030 — equal to putting 5 to 10 million more cars on the road.
The energy demands don’t stop there. Data centers could consume up to 1.1 billion cubic meters of water annually, the same as what 6 to 10 million Americans use at home each year.
But there is hope. Researchers say smarter planning could slash these impacts. They recommend building data centers in cooler, wind-rich regions like the Midwest instead of water-scarce states such as Nevada or Arizona.
The research team insists we are in a pivotal moment for coordination between industry, utilities, and regulators to keep AI’s growth from drying out our planet.