What ChatGPT, Data Centers, and Steak Can Teach Us About Water Scarcity

From beef production to videos on social media, we're misjudging the real drivers of water use. Here's why outrage often misses the mark and what we should pay attention to instead.

The All-American Canal, in Southern California bifurcating the desert and watering the fields that grow our vegetables and beef with Colorado River water.

Suddenly, everyone seems to be talking about how much water data centers use. The coverage, the tweets, the outrage, it all ramps up fast, and a lot of it hinges on numbers that sound big but aren't pl…