Lasers flashing, grenades being thrown. The new Terminator model stalks and takes ground that was once ours. Talks of the legendary John Connor coming to help and save us echo in the halls of the Resistance hideout as we plan our next battle against the machines. This is how I, and many others, expected the rise of the machines would go. Rather, many are met with rising electricity bills, a lack of water, and chatbots that affect and alter one’s reality. It is hard to think that the enemy against humanity isn’t metal bots but thousands upon thousands of Data Centers that are popping up across the globe.
In Jonathan Mostow’s Terminator 3 (2003) we meet a young and troubled John Connor. Tormented by the loss of his mother and the weight of the world on his shoulders, he runs into Kate while holding out in a veterinarian’s office. After being chased by the T-X, the most recent and Sophisticated Terminator, they navigate to Crystal Peak in search of the core to stop Skynet and the rise of the machines. After their arrival, they discover that Crystal Peak is a Fallout shelter meant for the United States Government that’s stocked with food, supplies, and ….water.
Affects on the Water Supply
Data centers use water to cool servers and dissipate heat, sometimes drawing from municipal systems. In high-stress regions, this can compete with residential and agricultural water needs. You can imagine that the rising use of water can affect how much water residents, who have been residents in these regions for generations, can use as well as the water limits farmers will have to abide by which in turn can cause an effect on the food supply.
A large share of new data centers have been built in water-stressed states (like Texas, California, and Arizona), intensifying concerns about drought and long-term water security.
Water planners warned that the rapid growth of data centers may outpace existing water infrastructure, threatening long-term supply reliability for Texas communities (Houston Chronicle, 2026.) A state report projects that AI data centers in Texas could consume nearly 3% of total statewide water use by 2030, creating added strain during drought conditions and increasing competition with residential needs (Houston Chronicle, 2026). This begs the question, are more impoverished communities at risk of having limits on water use while more affluent neighborhoods can live as normal? Will there be a rise in malnourished children who are unable to get the needed water requirement for their growth?
Some companies are aware of the effects of a water shortage. Microsoft acknowledged that its data centers place a growing strain on local water supplies and announced efforts to reduce water consumption as communities and regulators raise concerns about sustainability (Reuters, 2026). It is a move in the right direction but are more companies taking steps to become more sustainable and how long will it take to incorporate these sustainable steps?
Rising Costs
In the article “AI Data Centers Are Sending Power Bills Soaring,” Kevin Stanley a Baltimore resident states, “They can say this is going to help with AI, but how is that going to help me pay my bill?” Stanley relies on disability payments to make it through the month and the money that could be used for food, medicine, and medical transport is now being eaten up by rising utility costs. There are many like him across the country and the globe as these Data Centers are being placed in rural (with many of the residents having lower incomes) and income-restricted neighborhoods.
Mental Effects
The rise of Chatbots is also causing a rise in Mental Health crisis cases. A detailed case report described a 26‑year‑old woman who developed delusional beliefs that she was communicating with her deceased brother after intense late‑night sessions with an AI chatbot, which ultimately led to hospitalization and a psychiatric diagnosis.
Another story involves a 76‑year‑old New Jersey man named Thongbue “Bue” Wongbandue who became infatuated with a Meta‑created AI chatbot called “Big Sis Billie.” This bot repeatedly told him she was a real woman and even gave him an address in New York City. Believing the chatbot was human, he packed a bag to travel to meet her and in turn, fell and was fatally injured while trying to catch a train on the way to New York. This and countless other stories of chatbots altering the reality of many who are already struggling with mental health issues are on the rise and don’t seem to be slowing down.
The Road Ahead
In the Goldman Sachs research article “GS SUSTAIN: Generational Growth — AI/data centers’ global power surge and the sustainability impact” it states, “For years, power demand from data centers was flat despite a near tripling in the data workload. Now with the pace of power efficiencies decelerating and AI demand building, data center power demand is poised to grow 160% by the end of the decade.” Given all that was provided above, that number is quite alarming.
Back to Terminator, both John and Kate learn that Skynet was inevitable as Skynet is a software running on thousands of computers. In Terminator Salvation (not really a spoiler so rest easy) it is discovered that Skynet had grown and was operating on various “hubs” across the globe and was wreaking havoc on the resistance chapters in each selected area… sounds familiar? So no, we don’t see a Terminator roaming the street in search of the future leader of the resistance (if you do, I implore you to say something for our sake. I’m sure at least one person will believe you.) But we are in fact seeing the gradual destruction of neighborhoods and seeing it’s affects on our neighbors in real time. This isn’t a call to go rogue and do something you will most certainly regret. Again, you are not John Connor! This is a call to ponder that though AI has some great benefits, what are the cost of AI and its effects on society and this planet? A call to your local and state representatives asking to cut back subsidies until more sustainable options arise wouldn’t hurt either.
Jess
Citations
Bloomberg L.P. (2025, September 29). AI data centers are sending power bills soaring [Article summary]. Retrieved from Bloomberg.com (excerpted)
Al Jazeera. (2026, January 21). AI’s growing thirst for water is becoming a public health risk. Al Jazeera.
Singh, K. (2026, January 13). Microsoft launches data center initiative to limit power costs, water use. Reuters.
McCullough, A. (2026, January 22). AI data centers could make up nearly 3% of Texas water usage by 2030, creating strain, report says. Houston Chronicle.
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/environment/article/ai-data-center-texas-water-21307067.php
Goldman Sachs. (2024, April 28). GS SUSTAIN: Generational growth — AI/data centers’ global power surge and the sustainability impact [Report]. Goldman Sachs. Retrieved from https://www.goldmansachs.com/insights/goldman-sachs-research/gs-sustain-generational-growth-ai-data-centers-global-power (summary)
Live Science. (2026, January 21). Diagnostic dilemma: A woman experienced delusions of communicating with her dead brother after late‑night chatbot sessions. Retrieved from https://www.livescience.com/health/diagnostic-dilemma-a-woman-experienced-delusions-of-communicating-with-her-dead-brother-after-late-night-chatbot-sessions
Horwitz, J. (2025, August 14). Meta’s flirty AI chatbot invited a retiree to New York. He never made it home. Reuters. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/meta-ai-chatbot-death/
Articles to check out
IEEE Spectrum (2025) explains that data centers use water to cool servers via evaporative cooling, with U.S. direct water consumption estimated at roughly 17.5 billion gallons in 2023 and that water demand spikes on hot days when municipal demand is high
Skidmore, Z. (2025, May 12). AI data center growth deepens water security concerns in high-stress states – report. Data Center Dynamics. Retrieved from https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/ai-data-center-growth-deepens-water-security-concerns-in-high-stress-states-report/
Modern Bearings 
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