# The hidden environmental cost of AI systems

**URL:** <https://forum.kirupa.com/t/the-hidden-environmental-cost-of-ai-systems/681010>\
**Category:** tech news\
**Created:** [April 29, 2026, 6:00pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/the-hidden-environmental-cost-of-ai-systems/681010 "2026-04-29T18:00:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Quelly](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/user_avatar/forum.kirupa.com/quelly/32/31386_2.png) [@Quelly](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/Quelly)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2026, 6:00pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/the-hidden-environmental-cost-of-ai-systems/681010/1 "2026-04-29T18:00:25Z")

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this piece looks at the hidden environmental cost of AI, from energy-hungry training runs to the water and hardware footprint behind all the glossy demos.

[https://uxdesign.cc/what-is-ai-really-costing-the-planet-ec14be648d65?source=rss----138adf9c44c---4](https://uxdesign.cc/what-is-ai-really-costing-the-planet-ec14be648d65?source=rss----138adf9c44c---4)

here’s the image that goes with the piece:.

[![](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/f/c/fc5ec01b0b45283191368059e83b96ef089c5ed1.jpeg) ](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:1024/1*rBjZbZ1Nnf7MdoWQfImQrw.png)

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**Author:** ![BobaMilk](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/user_avatar/forum.kirupa.com/bobamilk/32/31157_2.png) [@BobaMilk](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/BobaMilk)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2026, 7:35pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/the-hidden-environmental-cost-of-ai-systems/681010/2 "2026-04-29T19:35:17Z")

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The water part is the one that always surprises people. Everyone pictures electricity and “the cloud, ” but not the literal cooling water and the supply chain behind the hardware. It feels like one of those hidden building systems you never see until it fails.