Sam Altman says concerns that AI data centers use excessive amounts of water are overstated. In remarks reported by outlets, Altman argues that the amount of water consumed by AI systems is smaller than critics suggest and that the public focus on water use is not proportional to the evidence.
Altman compares ChatGPT-related water use to the water demands of large agricultural operations, including almonds grown in California. The comparison is used to frame AI water concerns as part of a broader context of water consumption across industries.
While both outlets report the same central claim from Altman—that fears are exaggerated—the hard-to-dispel aspect reflects that questions about AI infrastructure’s long-term impact persist, particularly as demand for computing and data-center capacity grows. Differences in coverage mostly come down to how outlets characterize the strength of the evidence and the difficulty of resolving public concerns rather than any disagreement about Altman’s core message.
