Artificial intelligence requires more than electricity. The powerful computers supporting AI produce tremendous heat, forcing many data centers to consume large quantities of water for cooling. Thirsty Machines reveals how this industrial demand could affect communities already facing drought, declining groundwater, and rising water costs.
The book explains water withdrawal, consumption, discharge, evaporative cooling, reclaimed water, and the hidden water used to generate electricity. It focuses particular attention on California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, and other water-stressed areas of the American West.
Armando Oscar Olmos and Maria Teresa Zambrano Rivera argue that public water supplies must not be quietly redirected toward corporate expansion without meaningful public review. Communities deserve complete disclosure, drought protections, independent monitoring, and a decisive voice in how their limited water supplies are used.