Alt Text: The cartoon illustrates the problem of water use in the AI age: a farmer’s child and his mother are pumping a little water from a well for their daily use. Two knights in armor, transporting a large, spherical water container on wheels, come by and say, “The King wishes to make more avatars of himself as a Ghibli character.”
In the background, a castle sits enthroned on a hill. The cartoon illustrates the excessive water consumption required for AI model queries.
Proceeds to not give a single source supporting original claims.
I’m confused. I originally stated that Proton uses renewable green energy. Then I cited a source stating that the company values sustainability and their unlimited data means fewer wasteful reconnections. What more do you want? Want me to fly you out to Geneva so that you can see it for yourself?
I see you are confused. Let me help you. Here is your original claim:
Okay, fine:
“Oracle is committed to helping communities understand the impact of its new AI data centers, starting with details on how our cooling works and what that means for local water. In short, at our AI infrastructure data centers—including upcoming ones in New Mexico, Michigan, Texas, and Wisconsin—we plan to deploy a variety of cooling methods like closed-loop cooling that do not rely on continuous consumption of potable water. These are deliberate engineering decisions designed with local communities in mind.”
“A third approach is what many of us have in our homes, particularly in warmer climates; air conditioning. An air conditioner is a closed-loop system, because the cooling fluid inside it circulates in a sealed loop and is reused. Data centers can use the same basic idea at larger scale.”
Source - https://www.oracle.com/news/announcement/blog/closed-loop-cooling-in-oracle-ai-data-centers-2026-02-09/
They “plan to do it”. They are not doing it. Try again.
Also, it’s oracle, their word means nothing. Them “planning” is just either “tell them we’re gonna do it and just don’t do it” or “we have to have an alternative plan in case the government grows some balls and regulates us”.
It’s a growing trend in the AI industry through.
Consider this:
IF, Oracle follows through with that plan, other AI companies feel the pressure. If Oracle follows through with it, AWS, Azure, Google, and Meta look worse if they aren’t disclosing or doing the same. OpenAI (which uses Azure) and Anthropic will also be dragged into that spotlight.
If Oracle says:
“We’re not using your drinking water”
then lawmakers and residents in other regions will demand local data centers do the same.
AI infrastructure is insanely power and cooling hungry, and with growing backlash over water and energy use, companies can’t afford to be sloppy.
I see you got confused again. Let me display your original statement:
You already said that and I already responded.
Yeah, you responded with something that doesn’t support your original claim at all.
What you are trying to do is called moving the goalpost.
If you acknowledge that your original claim is bullshit and want to move the goalpost, it’s fine, but you have to say that you’re doing so.
Like this:
Then sure, I can choose to engage with this new goalpost or not. But I refuse to argue with a moved goalpost if you don’t even admit that you moved it.
Read my other comment.
It’s a disingenuous answer.
Why can’t you cite OpenAI or any other major players?
Because OpenAI have never disclosed what kind of cooling they use. They’re a bad example and do not support the point I was making.
Not to mention that a lot of articles regarding OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google are heavily biased. Look up “OpenAI Energy Consumption” and you’ll see several articles from different authors with titles using the same keywords. It reeks of SEO Spam. Not very helpful when you’re looking for a reliable source.
You mean one of the main big AI companies? The ones you claimed use closed loop in your initial comment with no sources to back it up?
Maybe don’t make unverifiable claims, yeah?
I’m sorry. I don’t believe I explicitly mentioned OpenAI in my original comment. Now you’re just putting words in my mouth.