Sam Altman defends AI resource usage: Water concerns 'fake,' and 'humans use energy too'
Summary
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, defends AI's resource usage, dismissing water consumption concerns as unfounded and comparing AI energy use to human energy consumption during a recent summit.
Why It Matters
Altman's remarks highlight ongoing debates about the environmental impact of AI technologies, particularly as their adoption increases. Understanding these implications is crucial for policymakers, industry leaders, and the public as they navigate the balance between technological advancement and sustainability.
Key Takeaways
- Altman refutes claims that AI like ChatGPT uses excessive water per query.
- He acknowledges rising total energy consumption for AI and advocates for cleaner energy sources.
- The comparison between AI and human energy use raises important ethical and environmental questions.
Key PointsAltman dismissed claims that ChatGPT used gallons of water per query.He acknowledged that total AI energy use was rising and urged cleaner power.However, Altman argued that humans also consume energy to carry out tasks. Sam Altman, chief executive officer of OpenAI Inc., at the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, India, on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. Prakash Singh | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesOpenAI CEO Sam Altman on Friday defended the resource demands of artificial intelligence, calling concerns about data centers' water use "fake" and comparing the energy used by AI systems to that of humans.Altman was speaking on the sidelines of the India AI Impact summit in an interview with The Indian Express when he was asked to address common criticisms of AI, such as its energy and water consumption. The CEO responded that claims circulating online that ChatGPT uses gallons of water per query were "completely untrue, totally insane," and have "no connection to reality." Data centers traditionally rely on large amounts of water to cool electrical components and prevent overheating. While data center cooling technologies have promised reduced consumption, with some newer data centers no longer relying on water at all, many active facilities still use it.Even with improving efficiency, a report last month from water technology company Xylem and Global Water Intelligence projected that the water drawn for cooling would more than triple over the next 25 years as computing demand rises...
