The cloud needs water: How big tech’s data centers are fueling the global water crisis (Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering)

Amazon, Microsoft, and Google’s push to create data centers in some of the world’s driest areas threatens to deepen a looming water crisis. An investigation by SourceMaterial and The Guardian found that tech giants are using vast amounts of water to run data centers—often in water-scarce regions—and are rapidly expanding in these vulnerable areas. Backed by political support, including from US President Donald Trump, the tech giants are forging ahead with plans to build hundreds of data centers across North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia.

AI’s thirst is real: Big tech’s data centers are drying out parched lands