Ginci Insights

Have you ever wondered: when you’re using the newest AI tools like ChatGPT Atlas or Perplexity’s Comet, what their water footprint might be? Data centres powering generative AI now consume billions of litres of freshwater each year to stay cool — often in regions already facing droughts and rising heat. The real question isn’t how powerful AI will become — it’s whether it can evolve without draining the planet.

AI is reshaping how we understand and respond to climate risks: satellite data is being used to map methane leaks in near-real time, while next-generation models like NVIDIA ’s “Climate in a Bottle” can deliver climate simulations at higher resolution, a scale that makes city-level adaptation planning possible. These advances are powerful, but without transparency on AI’s energy and water use, the environmental footprint could outpace the benefits.

Reflections from talks and panel discussions at Frontiers of AI in Toronto Tech Week

Can we trust a system we don't fully understand - especially when lives, infrastructure, and global stability are on the line?