Artificial Intelligence and the Environment: Massive Water and Energy Consumption for New Technologies

The rapid development of advanced Artificial Intelligence models (Frontier AI) is no longer merely a technological or economic challenge, but a critical issue of global security and the environment.

While data infrastructure consumes enormous quantities of natural resources, the international research community is issuing an increasingly clear warning: we risk permanently losing control over this technology.

Massive Energy Consumption and Pressure on Resources

Processing data for large language models and training advanced systems require unprecedented computing power.

Recent data from the International Energy Agency (IEA) indicate a rapid doubling of electricity consumption driven by data centers and AI systems.

The current pace of digital infrastructure expansion places significant pressure on energy grids and on the resources required to cool servers, becoming an aggravating factor at a time when the global transition toward sustainability is already vulnerable.

Beyond Climate: Loss of Control and Existential Risk

The environmental problem is only one symptom of an unregulated race to develop superintelligence. AI safety experts warn that advanced models are beginning to exceed human capabilities to evaluate, control, or shut them down.

Unlike other polluting industries, the AI sector operates in a global legislative vacuum, where companies continue to develop systems rapidly without independently verified safety guarantees.

The Necessary Solution: An International Treaty and a Global Moratorium

Just as nuclear energy and weapons of mass destruction are regulated, the development of advanced AI models requires a robust international legal framework.

The global movement PauseAI advocates:

• The adoption of an international treaty establishing a halt (pause/moratorium) on training new AI models more powerful than existing ones until strict safety measures can be guaranteed.

• Mandatory independent safety assessments before any advanced system is released onto the market.

• Transparent international governance to prevent catastrophic risks and protect global resources.

The need for a global treaty is no longer a matter for future debate, but an urgent issue that must be addressed today to ensure a safe future for humanity.