{
  "id": 6088101,
  "title": "AI data centres are less thirsty now, say tech giants",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/07/ai-data-centres-are-less-thirsty-now-say-tech-giants",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-09-07T01:47:35.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today-freemalays",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/business/2026/09/07/ai-data-centres-are-less-thirsty-now-say-tech-giants"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Data centres, the sprawling facilities housing computer servers that power the internet and artificial intelligence, have been under scrutiny for their water and energy consumption. Tech giants, investing billions into these centers, claim that water usage can be significantly reduced. Nvidia, a leading chip maker, asserts that it can eliminate water consumption almost entirely in some facilities using its DSX system for AI data centres. Rystad Energy estimates that data centres worldwide consumed 222 billion litres of water for cooling in 2025, with projections to nearly triple by 2030. Tech companies argue that reducing water use often requires more energy for temperature control, as the liquid in sealed pipes still needs cooling, usually through air circulation which consumes electricity. Nvidia mitigates this by using a closed-loop system with warmer water, entering servers at 45°C, thereby reducing the need for constant cooling. Microsoft, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Meta also utilize closed-loop systems, claiming no net water loss. However, there is no industry-wide standard for reporting environmental efforts, leading to inconsistent data. Elon Musk's SpaceX, a major player in data centres after acquiring xAI, has yet to publish an ESG report, receiving the lowest score from ratings agency MSCI in June. While water is generally cheaper than electricity, public relations pressure and growing backlash against data centres in the US have incentivized companies to improve their sustainability efforts. Upgrading older facilities to newer, more water-efficient technology can be costly, but older data centres, being smaller and less powerful, require less cooling in the first place. Moreover, the water used in generating electricity and manufacturing chips and servers indirectly contributes to a data centre's water consumption, which in the US, can be twice the direct water use.",
  "summary": "Rystad Energy said global data centres consumed 222 billion litres of water in 2025, with that figure potentially rising to 644 billion litres by 2030 without adaptive measures.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "AI data centres are less thirsty now, say tech giants",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/07/ai-data-centres-are-less-thirsty-now-say-tech-giants-6089156",
        "published": "2026-09-07T01:47:35.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}