US Data Center Boom Fuels Concerns Over Water Shortages Amid AI Expansion

The rapid expansion of data centers in the U.S., driven by the immense computing power required for training and operating large AI models, is raising concerns about water shortages. Amazon plans to spend approximately $220 billion in capital expenditure in 2026, largely on data centers, while Google is investing $15 billion in an AI hub in India, highlighting the critical infrastructure build-out for AI but also its environmental impact.