Microsoft, Google and Amazon largely exclude power-related water use from their reporting, suggesting the sector’s total water footprint may be understated.
AI data centers may be consuming significantly more water than public disclosures indicate because Microsoft, Google and Amazon largely leave out water tied to electricity generation, the Wall Street Journal reported. That omission matters because power demand is a major part of running AI infrastructure, and water is often used both to cool facilities directly and in parts of the power-production process. The report suggests official corporate figures may understate the full environmental footprint of the fast-expanding sector.