Artificial intelligence is a game changer—and a water guzzler. “AI represents one of the most prominent and fastest-expanding workloads in data centers,” write researchers from the University of California, Riverside, and the University of Texas at Arlington in a recent paper.
The big tech companies tout “water stewardship” and becoming “net water positive,” pledging to replenish more water than they use by 2030. That’s a lot of water. Google said that in 2022, water consumption at data centers and offices was 5.6 billion gallons—the equivalent of irrigating 37 Southwestern golf courses annually. Microsoft has said it is tackling its 6.
Deals The Wall Street Journal said former Marvel executive Isaac Perlmutter entrusted his stake in Walt Disney to Nelson Peltz’s Trian Fund Management, quadrupling its voting clout. Peltz wants board seats...The antitrust trial against JetBlue and Spirit Airlines began. The Justice Department sued to block the $3.8 billion merger...Shares in WeWork fell on a WSJ report that it would file for bankruptcy...Six Flags and Cedar Fair Entertainment are merging in a $2 billion all-stock deal.