• T. Hex@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      24 days ago

      I thought the majority of their water consumption is indirect via electricity consumption. If we could stop burning freaking coal that would be a start.

      But yes, also stop using potable water for evaporative cooling!!

    • gurty@lemmy.world
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      23 days ago

      I’m dumb as a brick - why can’t they build the AI centres in very cold regions and just pump air in and out?

      • NotMyOldRedditName@lemmy.world
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        22 days ago

        The infrastructure thats needed isnt always there, nor the people to run or build it.

        You cant power it only off solar now because its so far north the array would need to be crazy big, and wouldn’t be enough in the winter.

        Also even as you go far north summers can still be hot and you’d still need a way to cool it during those times which will require the same water flow capacity even if its for less overall days, so you now need to build 2 cooling systems instead of 1.

        It still seems crazy to build these things where they often do, but going somewhere really cold isnt simple.

        Edit: also sovereignty of the data center. A US company would prefer to keep it in the US which would give Alaska as an option.

    • terabyterex@lemmy.world
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      24 days ago

      a majority use closed loop water systems. they use like an 8th of the water almond farming uses. its all marketing, the hype and the hate. they both need to go away

      • chuckleslord@lemmy.world
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        24 days ago

        Hey, making food is something we need. Hallucination bots are a new, unnecessary use of water in a time when water is already becoming scarcer due to global warming. Stop sane washing their massive waste, thanks!

      • crimson_iris@piefed.social
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        24 days ago

        Just because other sectors/industries use more doesn’t mean what AI data centers use isn’t a horrible waste of a limited resource we need to survive.