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TechnologyGlobal issues

Why people are throwing AI data centers into the ocean

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Alexandria Williams
March 6, 2026

Every time you type a request into ChatGPT, the servers processing it guzzle water and electricity. Engineers are trying to fix this. They're building data centers underwater and are even trying to shoot them into space.

AI data centers consume vast amounts of water and electricity as servers heat up during use. Engineers are testing new cooling methods — from direct‑to‑chip liquid systems to immersion cooling and even underwater modules in the North Sea. Some propose space‑based data centers, though experts doubt their feasibility. All aim to cut AI’s growing environmental impact.

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Planet A

We're destroying our environment at an alarming rate. But it doesn't need to be this way. Planet A explores the shift towards an eco-friendly world and challenges the way we are dealing with climate change.

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