VOA科学技术2023--AI Development Requires Large Amounts of Water

AI Development Requires Large Amounts of Water

Researchers say the methods used to create artificial intelligence (AI) systems require large amounts of water. As a result, people are calling on AI developers to reduce their water usage and take more responsibility for the environmental resources they use.

The Associated Press recently reported on water usage by American-based OpenAI, the company that launched the ChatGPT AI tool. ChatGPT is a so-called "chatbot" designed to interact smoothly¹ with humans and perform high-level writing. Such tools are also known as "generative AI" or "large language models."

The development and training methods used to create large language models require powerful computing² systems. This process uses a lot of electricity and produces a lot of heat. Data center operators pump in water to keep equipment cool.

Open AI – which is backed by software maker³ Microsoft – operates a series of data centers in West Des Moines, Iowa. The city in the central part of the state is home to about 68,000 people.

"They're building them as fast as they can," said Steve Gaer, who served as the city's mayor when Microsoft first arrived. He said the software maker was attracted to the city because of its efforts to improve public projects. The former official also said Microsoft provided a huge amount of money in taxes in support of the efforts.

"But," Gaer said of the company, "they were pretty secretive on what they're doing out there."

In 2020, Microsoft said it was developing one of the world's most powerful supercomputers for OpenAI. At the time, it did not name the Iowa city as home to the project. Microsoft described the effort as a "single system" with a huge number of semiconductors⁵ and processors to support AI workloads⁶.

In late May, Microsoft President Brad Smith made his first public comment about the company's new "AI supercomputing data center" in West Des Moines. He noted⁷ the center was built to support development efforts for the ChatGPT system.

Water is taken from the nearby Raccoon and Des Moines rivers to cool down the Microsoft-OpenAI computing equipment, the AP reports. In its latest environmental report, Microsoft said its worldwide water usage rose 34 percent from 2021 to 2022 to almost 1.7 billion gallons. Industry experts have suggested the large increase was directly linked to the company's AI research.

"It's fair to say the majority of the growth is due to AI," said Shaolei Ren. He is a researcher at the University of California, Riverside who has been studying the environmental effects of AI products such as ChatGPT.

In a paper set to be published later this year, Ren's team estimates ChatGPT takes up 500 milliliters of water each time someone asks the tool a series of between five and 50 questions. The estimate also includes indirect usage companies generally do not measure. This includes water used to cool power plants that supply the data centers with electricity.

"Most people are not aware of the resource usage underlying⁸ ChatGPT," Ren said. "If you're not aware of the resource usage, then there's no way that we can help conserve⁹ the resources."

Ren noted that Google reported a 20 percent growth in water usage during the same period. He believes that growth is largely linked to the American-based search engine company's AI development work.

Microsoft said in a recent statement to the AP that it is investing in research to measure the environmental effects of AI activities. The company promised to work on ways "to make large systems more efficient, in both training and application."

In its own statement, OpenAI said it had given "considerable thought" to the best use of computing power. "We recognize training large models can be energy and water-intensive," it said.

A West Des Moines government document from 2022 says the city "will only consider future data center projects" from Microsoft if those projects can "demonstrate and implement¹⁰" technology to significantly reduce water usage from current levels.

Words in This Story

semiconductor⁴ – n. a material, such as silicon¹¹, that permits electricity to move through it more easily when its temperature increases

underlying – adj. used to describe something on which something else is based

conserve – v. to keep and protect something from damage, change or waste

efficient – adj. working or operating quickly and in a safe, organized way

application – n. the way in which something can be used for a particular purpose

aware – adj. having or showing realization¹², perception, or knowledge

implement – v. to take steps to put into practice; to carry out

significant – adj. of a noticeably or measurably large amount

1 smoothly   

adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地

参考例句：

• The workmen are very cooperative,so the work goes on smoothly.工人们十分合作，所以工作进展顺利。
• Just change one or two words and the sentence will read smoothly.这句话只要动一两个字就顺了。

2 computing   

n.计算

参考例句：

• to work in computing 从事信息处理
• Back in the dark ages of computing, in about 1980, they started a software company. 早在计算机尚未普及的时代（约1980年），他们就创办了软件公司。

3 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

4 semiconductor   

n.半导体

参考例句：

• In the beginning,engineers hoped to use semiconductor lasers.在开始时，工程师们希望能够利用半导体激光器。
• The main agent of the company brand semiconductor sales.本公司主要代理各品牌半导体销售。

5 semiconductors   

n.半导体( semiconductor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Crystals may be insulators, semiconductors, or conductors. 晶体可以是绝缘体，半导体，或导体。 来自辞典例句
• Semiconductors containing such impurities are called p-type semiconductors. 含有这类杂质的半导体叫做P型半导体。 来自辞典例句

6 workloads   

（某一人或组织）工作量，工作负担( workload的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Project management software can provide such visibility into everyone's skills and workloads. 项目管理软件可以提供这样的能见度到每个人的技能和工作量。
• Doctors have complained of heavy workloads. 医生投诉工作越来越繁重。

7 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

8 underlying   

adj.在下面的，含蓄的，潜在的

参考例句：

• The underlying theme of the novel is very serious.小说隐含的主题是十分严肃的。
• This word has its underlying meaning.这个单词有它潜在的含义。

9 conserve   

vt.保存，保护，节约，节省，守恒，不灭

参考例句：

• He writes on both sides of the sheet to conserve paper.他在纸张的两面都写字以节省用纸。
• Conserve your energy,you'll need it!保存你的精力，你会用得着的！

10 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

11 silicon   

n.硅(旧名矽)

参考例句：

• This company pioneered the use of silicon chip.这家公司开创了使用硅片的方法。
• A chip is a piece of silicon about the size of a postage stamp.芯片就是一枚邮票大小的硅片。

12 realization   

n.实现；认识到，深刻了解

参考例句：

• We shall gladly lend every effort in our power toward its realization.我们将乐意为它的实现而竭尽全力。
• He came to the realization that he would never make a good teacher.他逐渐认识到自己永远不会成为好老师。