The study analyzed real-life cases, one of which is the case of Ireland, where many “data centers” have been built, i.e. real factories for AI, and where in 2023 they consumed 21% of electricity, exceeding what the urban population consumes.
Also the case of Uruguay, where projects for a “data center” with high water consumption, coincided with the extreme drought in 2023, where fresh water reserves in Montevideo were exhausted, making even tap water undrinkable, as the water is used for the cooling process of AI processors. The UN also emphasizes that the report is not an indictment of AI, but the technological transformation requires a call for its responsible use and proper plans for regulating and avoiding unwanted impacts, to make the entire industry environmentally friendly.