By Carlee Ecklund/Staff Writer

     “A medium-sized data center can consume up to roughly 110 million gallons of water per year for cooling purposes, equivalent to the annual water usage of approximately 1,000 households,” according to the Earth Space Sustainability Initiative website.

     The AI hardware chips, or GPUs, are stored in data centers and are cooled down. Because the GPUs get so hot, water is used to keep them from overheating.

     “A single chip installed in a data center has already consumed thousands of gallons of water by the time it reaches the site,” essi.org said.

     Most of Earth’s surface is water, so why is it an issue that AI uses it to cool down? Well, not all of Earth’s water is drinkable, and AI uses clean drinking water to prevent overheating.

     “Only 3% of Earth’s water is freshwater, and only 0.5% of all water is accessible and safe for human consumption,” essi.org said.

A significant portion of clean water is not readily available for our consumption. Much of our freshwater is stored in glaciers. 

     “About 2.1% of all of Earth’s water is frozen in glaciers,” usgs.gov said.

   Data centers also use air for cooling GPUs, although water is a popular alternative. Over time, water usage may increase, potentially leading to a higher supply than demand.

     “Free cooling is a method where outside cold air is drawn into the data center to cool the equipment. Data centers must be located in cooler climates for this strategy to be effective,” essi.org said.

Sophomore Pranita Adhikari strongly opposes the use of AI and thinks that it harms one’s mind.

     “[People] can lose the ability to think for themselves, and some can’t fathom the idea of forming a coherent thought on their own,” Adhikari said.

     Junior Lilliana Kauffman does condone the use of AI; she claims it is incredibly helpful for her academics.

     “If it’s just harder for me to get a rough idea of what I am supposed to do for assignments, I will have AI clarify for me,” Kauffman said.

     Both students have different views on the use of AI; however, both agree teachers should not be allowed to use it for assignments.

     “The amount of AI they use to make certain assignments or certain study tools, everybody thinks it’s not that much, but within how much people use it, saying ‘it’s not that much’ that builds up eventually,” Adhikari said, suggesting that even small inputs of AI can accumulate significantly over time. This perspective aligns with Kauffman’s view, who argues the same standpoint.

     “They shouldn’t be allowed because we’re not really allowed to use AI, and a lot of the time the AI doesn’t like to correctly project what they’ve taught us in class with their own voices,” Kauffman said.

The debate about whether AI enhances or reduces people’s intelligence is difficult to determine.

     “I think if you use it for everything, it makes you really ignorant. It really hurts your critical thinking skills, and it makes you lose the ability to form thoughts or ideas without using another device,” Adhikari said.

     Everyone has different reasons why they use AI or why they should be against it.

     “Our planet’s going to be done one way or another, so it’s just kind of like if it’s helping me, then why not?” Kauffman said.

     AI is very prominently represented in today’s society and is used as a replacement for many human roles like art, music, literature and more. This raises a question: which is better?

     “I don’t think it’s as efficient as manmade things because it takes the surface-level idea of it and makes it into whatever it can. Man-made things are more authentic,” Adhikari said.

Kauffman often disagrees and argues that AI creations are actually of higher quality.

     “I think that a lot of things that AI does are actually more efficient because it takes less time,” Kauffman said. “It’s faster, and it’s smarter than humans are.”

     The amount of water required for AI to perform even the simplest tasks is incredibly wasteful.

     “A mid-sized data center consumes as much water as a small town, while larger ones require up to 5 million gallons of water every day—as much as a city of 50,000 people,” lincolninst.edu said.

     The discussion around AI portrays the tension between technological advancements, environmental sustainability and differing views on intelligence. While concerns about water usage are valid, the potential benefits of AI should also be considered. 

     Opinions on this topic vary widely regarding how technology influences our creativity and cognitive skills.    

     Finding a balance between embracing innovation and preserving our essential resources will be very important as we navigate through AI and its future role in our society.