The Sorcerers' Thirst
A Tale of AI, Water, and Wizardry in the Land of Cacti
Once upon a News, in the sun-drenched land of Arizona where cacti peppered the landscape, there lived a group of modern-day wizards who commanded vast castles of computers known as data centers. These intricate fortresses were homes to the brains of artificial intelligence, pulsing with life day and night. One such castle belonged to Microsoft, a grand kingdom that had pledged allegiance to OpenAI.
The citizens began to murmur when they learned that one Microsoft stronghold was forecasted to use about 56 million gallons of precious drinking water every year - an amount fit for a caravan of perhaps 670 families! This came at a time when the scorching summer whispered tales of droughts so severe even the mighty Colorado River seemed weary.
Yet magic comes in many forms, and AI was not just a thirsty beast but also a shrewd sage. The city of Phoenix summoned these clever spirits through Kando, another order of wise ones, embarking on quests like monitoring mysterious wastewaters. They could spot troubles before they happened—like whispers on the wind—aiding in protecting their pipes and plants from unseen enemies.
These wizards didn't stop there; they conjured algorithms like spells to help buildings sip water sparingly, conserving more drops for future generations. Such sorcery permitted them to peer into crystal balls filled with data from every corner, weaving more informed choices about using and guarding their blue treasure.
In this realm’s master plan dubbed "Vision 2050," nearly all wastewater returned transformed – pure enough again for crops or industry. And beyond these lands' borders, some technomancers redesigned castles without thirst altogether by calling forth giant fans to wick away warmth instead!
Even as some feared what toll AI's thirst would take on Arizona's waterscape, others trusted in its wisdom—an unusual duality akin to fire being both friend and foe.
Thus unfolds our tale: Even wizardry born from lightning bolts can be harnessed for good—protecting droplets is its own spellbinding saga amidst our ongoing dance with nature's forces.
Original Story:
https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2024/03/ai-water-climate-microsoft/677602/