At this point , plenty of the great unwashed eff that using generative AI tools results inconsuming ton of water . But in case that was n’t enough of an environmental impingement for you , Chevron is ready to pack on the negative side effects . According to areport from The New York Times , the second - enceinte fogey fuel company in the country is teaming up with an investment funds house to build up rude gas big businessman plants designed specifically to power data centers — just in sentence for the intact grocery to rethink whether we in reality want to burn all these resources on AI theoretical account .
Per the Times , Chevron is already ordering equipment and pursuing likely location for these power industrial plant , which the company believes it can get up and operational in just three geezerhood . The design , grant to Chevron CEO Mike Wirth , is to “ foregather the moment and address this develop need for honest and affordable power . ”
The program is also to cash in in while the money is freely flowing . inquiry from Goldman Sachssuggests that data point center power demand will originate 160 % by 2030 , and caller that are able to get accompaniment up chop-chop will get to soak up a larger share of theestimated $ 500 billionthat will be pass on amplify datum center infrastructure . you may severalize it ’s an timeserving move by Chevron , as the companionship had beenshifting away from operate on power plantsin favor of the much more lucrative job of drilling for and deal oil and petrol . But all of a sudden , being the power seed for companies that havefree - flow cash from speculation capitalistsseems like a good business organization to be in .
A Chevron sign© Paul Sakuma/AP
Chevron probably could have picked a good hebdomad to make the announcement , though . While America ’s biggest players in the AI outer space have fundamentally been pushing the musical theme that AI will only get salutary if we push more power , combust more energy , and eat up more processing capacity , the China - based DeepSeekjust released its own AI modelthat challenges Big Tech offering at a fraction of the cost . So maybe we do n’t have to just promiscuously burn fossil fuels to meet the need generated byAI pigswill factories .
Interestingly , Chevron ’s spell toward being an AI power facilitator seems to be in part the work of Engine No . 1 , an activist investing firm that claims to be focused on societal good . Engine No . 1 previouslylaunched a successful command to push Exxon Mobiltoward a business good example that would shrink its carbon footprint and prioritise clean vigor strategies for the future . But hey , there ’s money to be made justly now . turn out “ societal good ” gets befuddle to the roadside when you’re able to take part in the gold rush . We ’ll all split the bill for the side effect later .
big oilChevron Corporationdata centersEnergyFossil fuel
Daily Newsletter
Get the best technical school , scientific discipline , and culture news in your inbox day by day .
News from the future , delivered to your present .
You May Also Like
