No warning. No dramatic crisis. Just silence… and air.
And strangely, my mind immediately drifted back to a
conversation I had the previous week with a friend.
She told me she had almost gotten into an argument with her
teenage daughter after casually asking her to generate a congratulatory image
in ChatGPT for my book release.
Apparently, the daughter threw a fit. She argued
passionately that generating AI images in ChatGPT was endangering the future of
her generation by depleting water resources.
Flabbergasted, my friend asked her to explain further. The
teenager went on to describe how AI systems use massive data centres that
consume enormous amounts of energy and water for cooling.
My friend understood very little of the explanation but
wisely decided not to argue with the teenager and simply let the matter rest. She
shared her experience with me later that day.
I had laughed the whole thing off at first. But the
conversation lingered in my mind longer than I expected.
Maybe because, around the same time, we were busy planning a
digital detox workshop for students and parents at PAGE4. (https://l1nk.dev/rkiz2nk)
Online, of course. Even this sparked quite a bit of sarcasm
from a parent, forcing us to explain that we were not rejecting technology,
merely suggesting a more mindful approach.
Which also meant that, somewhere between discussing mindful
technology use and reducing screen dependency, I was generating AI posters for
the workshop.
The irony was not lost on me. So, partly out of curiosity
and partly to clear my own confusion, I decided to ask ChatGPT itself.
The explanation was surprisingly reasonable.
AI systems run on large data centres filled with powerful
computers. These machines generate heat, and cooling systems—sometimes
involving water—help keep them running safely. Image generation generally
requires more computing power than plain text, which means higher energy
consumption as well.
Fair point. But as I sat there thinking about it, another
thought quietly followed.
Why do we single out AI so quickly while ignoring the
countless other digital habits we barely question anymore?
Hours of endless scrolling. Autoplay videos. 4K streaming. Live
sports broadcasts. Gaming servers. Cloud storage. Video calls running in the background. All of these rely on
massive digital infrastructure, too. Yet somehow, why are we making AI alone the
villain in many conversations?
For a brief second, I even wondered whether the teenager
would approve of our workshop posters.
Probably not. But perhaps balance is stranger — and more
complicated — than our online debates make it sound.
I don’t know. I only know that the conversation stayed with
me much longer than I expected.
Just as I was thinking all this, the tap spluttered suddenly,
and water began flowing again.
“They were cleaning the water tank, madam. The supply has
resumed now… but use it wisely,” said the maintenance staff, waving casually as
he walked past my door.
And somehow, that “use it wisely” felt like one of those
strangely well-timed reminders.
Just a quiet cue that mindful usage matters everywhere — in
homes, in technology, and perhaps even in the way we discuss both.
Mindfulness gives you time. Time gives you choices. Choices, skillfully made, lead to freedom.” – Bhante Henepola Gunaratana
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