Artificial intelligence is being touted as a way to revolutionize everything from health care to education in the global south. But as low- and middle-income nations rush to harness AI through server farms and data centers, it is creating a silent crisis — a strain on already stretched water resources.
In Bengaluru, the “Silicon Valley of Asia,” the AI dream is clashing with the people’s most basic right: access to water. Earlier this year, India’s minister of technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, announced a national push to build an indigenous AI platform with 18,000 servers by the end of the year. The move followed Chinese tech giant Lenovo’s announcement last year that it would begin manufacturing AI servers in the city.
But Bengaluru — which is home to over 13 million people and more than a dozen technology campuses — has been facing acute water shortages in recent years due to overexploitation and erratic monsoon. These shortages have caused recurring protests, especially during the summer months of April to June, by the residents, including tech employees, demanding a stable water supply.
About the author
Cheena Kapoorcheenakapoor
Cheena Kapoor is a Delhi-based independent journalist and photographer focusing on health, environmental, and social issues. Her work has been published by The Guardian, The Telegraph, Reuters, BBC, and Al Jazeera, among many others. Her long-term project "Forgotten daughters" about abandoned women in Indian mental asylums has been widely published and exhibited across Europe. Follow Cheena on Twitter and Instagram.
