By 2030, AI infrastructure could emit as much carbon as 10 million cars and use as much water as 10 million U.S. households, according to the Cornell Chronicle.
Cornell researchers created the first state-by-state roadmap showing the environmental cost of AI’s rapid growth. They found smarter siting, grid decarbonization, and efficient cooling could slash emissions by 73% and water use by 86%.
The biggest gains come from avoiding water-stressed regions and investing in renewables. Without action, AI could derail net-zero goals — making this decade critical for sustainable infrastructure planning.
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