Blurs

Artificial intelligence is transforming the world, but behind the promises of technological progress lies a rapidly expanding demand for land, electricity and water.  Across Britain, communities are beginning to question whether the price of the AI revolution is being paid by the wrong people. A technological revolution with a physical footprint Artificial intelligence increasingly appears to exist everywhere and nowhere. It writes articles, generates images, analyses medical information, assists scientific research and influences decisions across business, government and everyday life.  Much of this activity takes place behind screens, creating the impression that the digital revolution has relatively little physical presence. But AI has a substantial physical footprint. Behind every sophisticated AI model sits an enormous network of computer processors, storage equipment, cooling systems, electricity infrastructure and buildings.  These facilities are known as data cent...

How Much Water Does a Data Centre Use? Data centres power the internet—from streaming and cloud storage to AI tools—but behind the scenes, they also consume significant amounts of water.  So how much are we really talking about, and why does it matter? Why Data Centres Use Water At their core, data centres are filled with servers that generate heat 24/7. To prevent overheating, operators rely on cooling systems—and many of these use water. There are two main cooling approaches: • Air cooling: Uses chilled air (less water, more electricity) • Liquid cooling: Uses water directly or indirectly (more efficient, but water-intensive) Water is especially common in evaporative cooling systems, where heat is removed through evaporation—similar to how sweat cools your body. So, How Much Water Are We Talking About? The answer varies depending on size, climate, and technology—but here are realistic benchmarks: A medium-to-large data centre can use 300,000 to 5 million gallons (1–19 million li...

Will Data Centres Become Viable Targets During War? (2026 Guide) As global conflict evolves into a hybrid of physical and digital warfare, a critical question is emerging: will data centres become legitimate and strategic targets during war? The short answer is yes — and in many cases, they already are. But the reality is nuanced. Data centres are not yet primary targets like oil refineries or military bases, yet their strategic importance is rising rapidly in modern warfare. What Is a Data Centre and Why It Matters A data centre is the physical backbone of the internet, housing servers that power: • Banking systems • Cloud computing platforms • Artificial intelligence (AI) • Government services • Military data processing In today’s hyper-connected world, these facilities underpin critical national infrastructure (CNI). Governments increasingly classify them alongside energy grids and telecom networks due to their importance. (�  National Protective Security Authority) Are Data Cen...