Sam Altman: 38,000 ChatGPT queries use about as much water as one California almond
GlenBradley · x · 2026-09-03
On the Sources Podcast, Sam Altman pushed back on AI water-use fears: 38,000 ChatGPT queries consume about as much water as producing a single California almond. He acknowledged data centers once used evaporative cooling 'but haven't for a long time'—a modern large data center uses roughly as much water as an office building's sinks and toilets. Quoter GlenBradley adds that most data centers don't use liquid cooling (only the top 1% hyperscalers do), new builds use closed-circuit hydraulic cooling, and permits from 2026 will require it—calling the water-consumption narrative a myth.
Related event: Altman: 38,000 ChatGPT Queries Use Less Water Than One California Almond(11 posts)→
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