A reel about the evils of AI data centers recently came across my Facebook feed. The video showed computer servers submerged in water, complete with air bubbles. The music was intense and foreboding. The text on the screen implied that AI data centers were evaporating significant amounts of fresh water to prevent servers from overheating—at the expense of human survivability.

The tagline read:

"You think you are using a free tool. You are blindly paying with the planet’s most critical resource."

Clearly, the person or group behind this reel had an agenda and a message: AI data centers are evil, and they are going to drain our rivers, aquifers, and reservoirs.

The concerns are real. AI systems require electricity. Data centers consume resources. Water is often used as part of cooling systems that keep these facilities operating.

What bothers me about this reel, and AI data center objections in general, is the lack of dialogue, disclosure, and leadership.

This reel presented a one-way doomsday scenario, implying AI data centers are going to evaporate the water we need for sustenance.

AI is one of the most important technological advancements the world has ever seen. What the video failed to mention is that throughout history, every major technological advancement has required new infrastructure.

Railroads required rail networks.

Automobiles required roads and highways.

Electricity required power plants and transmission systems.

The internet required fiber-optic networks, servers, and data centers.

Artificial intelligence is no different.

In addition, while AI chat companies were singled out, there was no mention of the environmental cost of:

Streaming Netflix

YouTube

TikTok

Facebook Reels

Cloud storage

Cryptocurrency

Online gaming

These everyday activities were shielded from scrutiny. Only the evils of AI were brought to light.

I am not dismissive of AI’s impact on society, including the harmful and dangerous ways it can be misused.

I am concerned about AI’s power consumption and the resources required to keep data centers cool and operational. An even greater concern for me is the possibility of AI being adapted for nefarious purposes.

Despite these valid concerns, I know AI is not going away. It is here to stay.

As a society, one of the biggest challenges we face with AI is the lack of serious leadership focused on long-term solutions.

Complex infrastructure projects require cooperation between engineers, scientists, energy experts, water specialists, policymakers, and industry leaders. They require people willing to think in decades rather than election cycles.

We should be asking:

How do we modernize our electrical grid?

How do we expand reliable energy production?

How do we improve water recycling and conservation systems?

How do we design more efficient data centers?

How do we support innovation while reducing environmental impact?

Given AI’s potential to be adapted for nefarious purposes, conversations about AI should also include serious ethical oversight, clear standards, and experienced leaders capable of guiding how this technology is used.

Doomsday messaging in support of environmental agendas will not solve our infrastructure problems. As a society, we should be having serious conversations about energy generation, water management, cooling technologies, and long-term infrastructure planning.

These are engineering challenges.

They are leadership challenges.

Most importantly, they are solvable challenges.

The same human ingenuity that created the Industrial Revolution, assembly lines, radio, television, computers, the internet, and artificial intelligence is capable of improving the systems that support it.

Rather than treating AI as a problem to fear, I believe we should view it as a call to build the systems, infrastructure, and leadership required for the future we are creating.

That is the conversation I believe is worth having.