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DNB Asset Management

AI’s growing water footprint raises concern

31. March 2025

As AI booms, its massive water use is drawing attention—posing long-term challenges for sustainability.

AI’s growing water footprint raises concern

Artificial intelligence, particularly large language models, has a hidden cost: water. Every AI query consumes water through the energy-intensive cooling of data centres, and also because AI requires semiconductors, which in turn have a significant water footprint.

“Water is the most ‘traded’ raw material in the world. The ‘virtual water trade’ is 400 times greater than that of oil. ChatGPT drinks half a litre of water for every 20 commands,” points out Mikkel Nyholt-Smedseng, portfolio manager at DNB Asset Management.

However, this also comes with investment opportunities in water-related infrastructure. In a recent insight, Nyholt-Smedseng outlines three key themes: ultrapure water, water filtration technology and desalination and reuse of water.

Read the full insight here.