Search

Home > More or Less: Behind the Stats > How much water does AI consume?
Podcast: More or Less: Behind the Stats
Episode:

How much water does AI consume?

Category: News & Politics
Duration: 00:08:59
Publish Date: 2026-03-28 06:00:00
Description:

As Artificial Intelligence continues to expand rapidly, some people have raised concerns about its potential environmental impact - in particular its use of water, which is used to cool both data centres and the power generators that supply them with electricity.

One recent book on AI contained the alarming prediction that AI could consume between 4 and 6 trillion litres a year by 2027. Could this eye-popping figure be right? If not, what is the correct figure, and is it a big number?

The devil, as ever, is in the detail, and with the help of expert Alex de Vries-Gao, the More or Loss team has taken a deep dive to get to the truth about AI and water consumption.

If you’ve seen a number in the news and you think More or Less should take a look, email the team on moreorless@bbc.co.uk

Presenter: Charlotte McDonald Producer / Reporter: Nathan Gower Series Producer: Tom Colls Programme Coordinator: Brenda Brown Sound Mix: Dave O’Neil Editor: Richard Vadon

Total Play: 0

Users also like

300+ Episodes
Best of Natu .. 200+     10+
200+ Episodes
The Infinite .. 1K+     100+
2K+ Episodes
Farming Toda .. 100+     10+
300+ Episodes
In Our Time: .. 400+     40+
400+ Episodes
Friday Night .. 1K+     200+

Some more Podcasts by BBC

2K+ Episodes
Six O'Clock .. 500+     100+
5 Episodes
The High Str .. 100+     5
900+ Episodes
Seriously... 300+     30+
500+ Episodes
In Touch 40+     2
1K+ Episodes
HARDtalk 400+     70+
100+ Episodes
Eye of the S .. 30+     3
600+ Episodes
The Inquiry 600+     40+
30+ Episodes
At Lunch Wit .. 5     1