According to the latest research from the University of Cambridge, the massive data centers that support artificial intelligence not only raise concerns about energy consumption but also generate significant waste heat during operation, creating a heat island effect that affects surrounding environmental temperatures. The study shows that this effect can raise surface temperatures by up to approximately 9.1°C in areas around data centers, with impacts extending to regions within 10 kilometers, affecting the living environments of more than 340 million people.
The study was led by Dr. Andrea Marino from the Earth Observation team at the University of Cambridge. Despite the rapid increase in the number of data centers, public awareness of their environmental impact remains limited. Marino and her team analyzed temperature data collected over the past 20 years by remote sensing sensors and compared it with the locations of over 6,000 large-scale data centers located in remote areas. These data centers can cover millions of square feet and were mostly built in the past decade.
The study found that the operation of data centers leads to an average temperature increase of 3.6°F (about 2°C) in surrounding areas, and in some extreme cases, the temperature rise can reach as high as 16.4°F (about 9.1°C). Concerningly, the effects of temperature increases are not limited to the immediate vicinity of data centers but can extend up to 6.2 miles (approximately 10 kilometers).
This research highlights a widespread warming phenomenon, especially in regions with a high concentration of data centers, such as Bajío in Mexico and the Aragon region in Spain. The study warns that with the rapid growth of artificial intelligence data centers in the coming years, the environment will face greater pressure.
Although some experts have questioned the findings of this study, pointing out that the power supply and related emissions of data centers are also worth attention, Marino hopes this research will spark more discussions on reducing the environmental impact of artificial intelligence. The study points out that exploring more sustainable development paths without hindering the advancement of artificial intelligence and its benefits to humanity is an urgent issue.
Key Points:
🌡️ Data center operations can raise temperatures by up to about 9.1°C in surrounding areas, affecting a range of 10 kilometers.
🌍 The study shows that global data centers create a heat island effect, impacting the living environment of more than 340 million people.
💡 This study calls for attention to the environmental impact of artificial intelligence data centers and explores sustainable development paths.
