Data centers require massive amounts of water for liquid cooling systems to absorb and dissipate the heat generated by servers. Researchers at the University of California, Riverside, have found that between five and 50 ChatGPT requests can consume up to 500 milliliters of water (close to the amount in a 16-ounce bottle). Those gulps add up. Google used 20 percent more water in 2022 compared to 2021 as it ramped up AI development. Microsoft's water use rose by 34 percent over the same period. By 2027 the amount of water AI uses in one year worldwide is projected to be on par with what a small European nation consumes. Worse, large numbers of data centers are located in water-stressed regions. Recently, a Google-owned data center in The Dalles, Oregon commanded one third of the city’s water supply amid drought conditions.