💡 Warp News #317
💣 Terrorism deaths at lowest level since 2007. 🧒 Global child mortality has decreased by 60 percent since 1990. 📑 28 climate policies that work in all countries
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🚰 How much water does AI use?
There’s a claim spreading on social media that a single prompt to ChatGPT uses half a liter of water.
Completely wrong.
The debate around AI is full of that kind of claim, not least when it comes to AI and energy (which I address in my book).
They’re hard to resist. I’ve fallen for them myself. Claims spread across both social media and traditional media, and they benefit from the fact that most of us have no idea how much water or energy we—or different industries—actually use. Everything sounds like a lot, and alarming.
That’s where Andy Masley has done a fantastic job. He has dug deep to get as close as possible to the real numbers. (Companies should be much better at sharing data—right now it requires a lot of piecing things together.)
He has then compared this with other industries. It turns out that all golf courses in the U.S. use about 5,474 times more water than all ChatGPT usage.
I looked into this a bit further and found that a single golf course can use more water than all ChatGPT usage. Quail Creek uses about 6 times more water than ChatGPT, Omni Tucson National about 4 times more, and Ventana Canyon about 3 times more. These are just three examples among many.
I write more about how water is used in data centers, how companies are reducing water consumption, and more comparisons with other industries in this week’s Premium Supporter article (open to everyone).
🌖 Another attempt to reach the Moon
Wednesday evening ET, a new attempt will be made to launch the four astronauts who are set to travel to (but not land on) the Moon.
The last attempt was delayed due to an issue with the rocket. I wrote about it at the time and asked a few questions to Christer Fuglesang (a Warp News subscriber and astronaut).
🍎 Apple turns 50
On April 1, 1976, Apple was founded. I’ve read countless books about this fascinating company and its even more fascinating founder, Steve Jobs.
Make Something Wonderful (which is free), a collection of Steve Jobs’ own writings and thoughts, and Becoming Steve Jobs are my favorites.
Mathias Sundin
The Angry Optimist
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🚰 A single golf club uses more water than ChatGPT
On social media, the claim is spreading that a single prompt consumes a half-liter water bottle. That is completely wrong. In reality, very little water is used, especially compared to other activities like golf or agriculture.
💡 Fact-based optimistic news of the week
📑 Research identifies 28 climate policies that work in all countries
A study of 1,737 climate policies across 40 countries over 32 years shows which measures consistently reduce emissions regardless of context. Carbon taxes and investments in renewable energy and research stand out as particularly reliable instruments for reducing emissions.
💫 Space collision altered asteroids' solar orbit – confirms that planetary defense works
NASA's deliberate space collision with the asteroid Dimorphos shifted the asteroid pair's orbit around the sun. It is the first time scientists have been able to measure such a change, confirming that the technique works for deflecting dangerous asteroids.
💣 Terrorism deaths at lowest level since 2007
The number of people killed in terrorism dropped by 28 percent globally in 2025, to a total of 5,582. The number of terrorist attacks decreased by 22 percent, to 2,944 incidents. These are the lowest figures recorded since 2007.
🔋 World's first quantum battery charges faster the larger it gets
Researchers at CSIRO have created a working prototype quantum battery that charges wirelessly with a laser and completes a full battery cycle: charging, storing, and discharging energy. Unlike conventional batteries, quantum batteries charge faster the larger they are.
🧒 Global child mortality has decreased by 60 percent since 1990
Mortality among children under five has fallen by approximately 60 percent since 1990, thanks to investments in vaccinations, newborn care and nutrition. Mortality among newborns has decreased by 45 percent during the same period.
🚮 Countries with the most plastic waste have the least plastic pollution
If all countries managed their waste the way high-income countries do today, global plastic pollution would decrease by over 98 percent. Every dollar invested in waste management in low-income countries prevents about 25,000 times more plastic pollution than the same dollar spent in a rich country.
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