Data centers consume water directly to prevent IT equipment from overheating. It also consumes water indirectly from coal-fired power generation.
China 'needs to focus on strengthening its domestic AI sector to close the gap with the US'
China 'needs to focus on strengthening its domestic AI sector to close the gap with the US'
The researchers predicted that by the end of the 2010s, China will have more than 11 million data center racks housing servers, cables and other equipment. This is nearly three times as many as the approximately 4 million people in 2020.
It points to a preprint study from last year (meaning it has not yet been peer-reviewed) by researchers in the United States that showed that the large-scale language model GPT-3 produced 500 milliliters (16.9 fluid volumes) every 10 to 50 seconds. oz) of water it produces. This is 20 times the amount needed to generate 50 Google searches.
As chatbot competition intensifies, Moonshot AI closes the gap with Baidu's Ernie Bot
As chatbot competition intensifies, Moonshot AI closes the gap with Baidu's Ernie Bot
According to the report, if 100 million users conversed on ChatGPT, the chatbot would consume “50,000 cubic meters of water, the equivalent of 20 Olympic-sized swimming pools, but a Google search would consume an equivalent amount of water. Only one pool consumes .
CT Low, co-author of the report and head of geospatial risk at China Water Risk, said accelerated development of generative AI will further increase pressure on the country's already strained water resources. .
Lead author Debra Tang, Director and Head of China's Water Risk Division, said improving energy and water efficiency with existing technologies is a simple solution to addressing water risks.
“For the ICT sector, now is the time to address water risks. We must address this risk before AI explodes,” said Mr Tan.
He said China's ICT giants are being encouraged to become “water neutral” or “water positive,” and Silicon Valley giants such as Meta and Google are also pursuing that goal. .
According to the report, a “water neutral company” is one that offsets its water usage, while a “water positive” company ideally uses as little water as possible. This refers to a company that replenishes water in excess of the amount of water it uses.
Strategies to minimize and offset water use include watershed restoration, improving the water efficiency of existing facilities, wastewater reuse, and rainwater harvesting.
Tan said the Chinese government is taking steps to comprehensively manage rivers “from the source to the sea” and is expected to adopt stricter regulations and water efficiency standards for the ICT sector. he added.