Generative AI Video Creates 130x More Backend Data Than User Output

New measurements from Western Digital, reported by MIT Technology Review, indicate that an 8-second AI-generated video clip, while 3.97 MB for users, generates over 500 MB of backend data. This 'shadow copy' is approximately 130 times the user-facing output, revealing a significant and often underestimated storage cost for generative AI vendors and data centers. This highlights a critical operational challenge for the expanding AI infrastructure.