麻豆社

Use 麻豆社.com or the new 麻豆社 App to listen to 麻豆社 podcasts, Radio 4 and the World Service outside the UK.

Episode details

World Service,28 Mar 2026,9 mins

How much water does AI consume?

More or Less

Available for over a year

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鈥檝e 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 Sound engineer: Dave O鈥橬eil Editor: Richard Vadon

Programme Website
More episodes