Call to make tech firms report data centre energy use as AI booms

Experts say mandatory reporting on energy and water use is needed to avoid irreparable damage to environment

Tech companies should be required by law to report the energy and water consumption for their data centres, as the boom in AI risks causing irreparable damage to the environment, experts have said.

AI is growing at a rate unparalleled by other energy systems, bringing heightened environmental risk, a report by the National Engineering Policy Centre (NEPC) said.

Expand mandatory environmental reporting.

Provide information on environmental impacts of AI systems.

Set environmental sustainability requirements for data centres.

And reconsider data collection, transmission, storage and management practices.