Google claims to have found the solution to the biggest problem in artificial intelligence

In that context, Google announced a new strategy with which it seeks reduce water impact of its operations and respond to the growing criticism facing the technology industry. The company assured that By 2030, it expects to replace more water than its data centers and offices consume.in addition to investing in local infrastructure and developing alternative sources of supply.

As reported The Vergethe plan is based on five commitments linked to the responsible use of water. These include the positive net replacement of water resources, the financing of community projects, the search for non-traditional sources for cooling and greater transparency about the consumption of its facilities.

“We are just one of the many actors participating in this sector,” he explained. Ben Townsendglobal head of infrastructure and sustainability at Google. The executive maintained that the intention is offer a kind of guide so that communities can demand similar standards from any company seeking to install a data center in their territory.

The announcement comes at a particularly sensitive time for the industry. The growth of AI fueled a global career to build new facilities capable of supplying the growing demand for processing. AlphabetGoogle’s parent company, recently reported that it is seeking to obtain 80 billion dollars through the sale of shares to finance its expansion in this segment.

However, social acceptance of these projects seems to be deteriorating. A recent Gallup poll cited by The Verge revealed that More than 70% of Americans oppose building a data center near where they live. Among the main concerns are energy consumption, pressure on natural resources and water use.

The concern is not minor. Data centers use large volumes of water to keep equipment cool that operate 24 hours a day. Different studies have been warning that the growth of AI is significantly increasing this demand.

A single complex may require up to 1.5 million liters per day to cool your servers. In regions with water stress, this consumption can come into tension with the needs of the local population.

Google maintains that the panorama must be analyzed in context. Bikash Koleyvice president of global infrastructure for the company, stated that water cooling systems can reduce the energy consumption of data centers by approximately 10% compared to systems based exclusively on air.

“The aggregate water consumption of data centers is small,” Koley wrote in an official company publication. According to their calculations, American data centers use less than 1% of water that the citizens of the country allocate each year to garden irrigation. Even so, he stressed that the company seeks to protect local water resources in all its operations.

To achieve its net positive replacement goal, Google plans to finance projects aimed at improving irrigation systems, modernizing water infrastructure, and optimizing water management in different regions. He also announced a investment of 17 million dollars to support new conservation initiatives in seven US states.

The company also stated that it will continue to publish annual reports on your water consumption and expand the use of alternative sources, such as recycled wastewater. As he explained, he already applies this approach in a county in the state of Georgia.

The debate, however, is far from over. In recent years, various researchers have questioned some calculations of the technology industry, considering that They do not always consider indirect water consumption associated with electricity generation or supply chains.

Townsend defended the methodology used by Google and assured that the company is working to also account for that indirect water footprint. As he explained, the investments in renewable energy that do not require water helped reduce part of that impact.

The executive itself recognized that the communities’ concerns are legitimate. “It would be a mistake to say that they are all wrong concepts”he stated. Although he considers that the sector uses less water than many people thinkargued that this is precisely the time to invest and prevent the growth of data centers from becoming a future problem.

The issue has become central to an industry that is increasingly facing questions about the environmental cost of artificial intelligence. While big technology companies promise more efficient models, renewable energy and new forms of refrigeration, the challenge is to demonstrate that AI development can grow without compromising such sensitive resources like water.