New York: United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called on major artificial intelligence companies to publicly disclose the full environmental impact of their systems, citing growing concerns over the enormous amounts of land, water and electricity required to power AI technologies.

The appeal comes as artificial intelligence continues to advance rapidly, with increasing adoption across industries and millions of users relying on AI-powered tools for work, communication and everyday tasks.

Guterres stressed that greater transparency is needed to help governments, communities and consumers understand the true environmental costs associated with the technology.

UN calls for transparency

Speaking about the issue, Guterres said that AI data centres are “hungry for land, water and power” and argued that the public has a right to know the environmental footprint of these systems.

“I’m calling on every major AI company to publicly disclose the full environmental impact of its systems – as a matter of transparency,” he said.

The UN chief also urged companies to stop hiding the environmental costs of artificial intelligence and to avoid shifting the burden onto communities that are least able to bear the consequences.

The remarks highlight increasing global concerns over the sustainability of the rapidly expanding AI industry.

Why are AI systems consuming so many resources?

Although users interact with AI through chatbots, search tools and voice assistants, the technology is powered by massive data centres that house thousands of computer servers.

These facilities are used to train sophisticated AI models and generate responses whenever users interact with AI systems.

Running such data centres requires enormous amounts of electricity to power servers, networking equipment and cooling systems. They also consume substantial quantities of water to prevent equipment from overheating.

As artificial intelligence becomes more widely used, experts say demand for computing infrastructure is expected to rise sharply, increasing pressure on energy grids and water resources around the world.

Communities express concerns

The rapid expansion of AI infrastructure has also raised concerns among local communities.

Many residents have opposed the construction of large data centres in their neighbourhoods due to worries over high electricity consumption, increasing water usage and the extensive land requirements needed for such facilities.

A Reuters/Ipsos survey conducted in 2025 found that only about one-third of Americans support the rapid pace of data-centre construction associated with artificial intelligence.

The poll also revealed that many people would oppose having a data centre built in their own communities, reflecting broader public unease regarding the environmental implications of AI infrastructure.

Tech companies search for sustainable alternatives

Major technology companies are increasingly exploring innovative ways to reduce the environmental impact of AI operations.

Google is reportedly working on an ambitious initiative known as Project Suncatcher, which aims to place AI data centres in space using solar-powered satellites equipped with the company’s Tensor Processing Units (TPUs), specialised chips designed for artificial intelligence.

Similarly, Elon Musk has discussed the possibility of developing space-based data centres powered by solar energy to meet the growing computing demands of AI.

Meanwhile, Meta Platforms has announced partnerships focused on collecting solar energy from space and storing renewable energy for extended periods to power its data centres and AI infrastructure.

These initiatives indicate that technology companies are increasingly aware of the environmental challenges posed by artificial intelligence and are searching for long-term sustainable solutions.

Balancing innovation and sustainability

Artificial intelligence is widely regarded as one of the most transformative technologies of the modern era, with the potential to revolutionise healthcare, education, scientific research and business operations.

However, experts say the technology’s environmental footprint cannot be ignored as demand for computing power continues to rise.

The United Nations’ call for greater transparency is likely to intensify discussions about how the benefits of artificial intelligence can be balanced with sustainability goals and environmental responsibilities.

As governments and regulators around the world begin to examine the impact of AI infrastructure more closely, pressure is expected to grow on technology companies to disclose their resource consumption and adopt cleaner, more sustainable practices.