Shaolei Ren: AI consumes a lot of water — but why? | TED Talk

In this TED Talk, UC Riverside professor Shaolei Ren explains how AI's rapid expansion is driving significant water consumption through data center cooling, energy-intensive model training, and chip manufacturing. Ren highlights that US data centers already consume roughly 2–3% of public water supplies, and that figure is projected to rise sharply. The talk advocates for greater transparency from tech companies, smarter resource management, and more sustainable practices to reduce AI's environmental impact before it's too late.