The rapidly increasing demand for generative artificial intelligence models in the United States could generate 24 to 44 million metric tons of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere annually, according to a new study. The amount of CO2 emissions is equal to those from adding five to 10 million cars to U.S. roads.
The study, published in the journal Nature Sustainability, also projects another side effect of growth in AI usage. Generative AI models are estimated to consume 731 to 1,125 million cubic meters of water every year between 2024 and 2030, depending on the scale of expansion. This is equal to the annual water usage in the households of 6-10 million people in the country.
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May 22, 2026 14:46 ET Minutes of the latest Fed policy session was the highlight of the week along with survey data on the U.S. housing market. In Europe, survey data signaled the trends in the euro area private sector. Further, consumer price inflation data from the U.K. was in focus. In Asia, various economic indicators from China drew attention to the health of the economy.