A new United Nations warning report says the rapid growth of artificial intelligence could significantly increase electricity demand and add pressure to water resources. Multiple outlets report that the UN estimates AI systems may consume up to about 3% of the world’s electricity, depending on how adoption scales and how efficiently systems are built and operated. The report also highlights water use, warning that AI’s water requirements could grow to levels that exceed the amount of water people need to drink in some scenarios. The coverage emphasizes that these impacts are tied to the expansion of compute infrastructure, including data centers and related cooling needs, as well as electricity generation that may come from power plants requiring water for cooling. While the exact timing and magnitude depend on implementation choices, the UN message focuses on the need to account for environmental and resource costs alongside AI development and deployment. Overall, the sources agree that the UN is calling attention to potential sustainability challenges stemming from energy and water consumption as AI usage increases globally.