Attitudes on AI's Environmental Impact

The rapid development of generative artificial intelligence models has resulted in growing environmental concerns, but to what extent is this a priority to today’s youth? Gen Z is the first generation to grow up in the world of AI and gain an education with it. While generative artificial intelligence tools grow and develop, so do fears of the reliance of them resulting in AI checkers. When a good paper is turned in, it is often the first assumption that it is written with AI, but to what extent do highschoolers actually rely on it, or at least admit to using it, and do they believe their personal usage of it has an impact? When researching AI usage statistics, the majority of research is in the professional world on the growing implementation in business and corporate settings. Yet, there is a lack of research in younger educational settings, especially on youth climate concerns. 

I took matters into my own hands and surveyed a random group of students at my own high school in Virginia, USA. Out of 14 highschoolers interviewed, only one person reported not using AI, although the ones who did often admitted hesitantly. There seemed to be a fear of speaking on the topic honestly, as if it was taboo or an admission of guilt. The vast majority claimed to only use it occasionally, “once in a blue moon”, “very rarely”, “sometimes”, or “once or twice a week”. The reasons supplied behind the usage of AI in youth seemed to be less of a crutch and more of a stepping stool for self-improvement. No one said that they were using AI to take their exams or write their essays for them. Instead, students are using AI for instances such as explaining new concepts step by step, making charts to study more efficiently, creating math problems based off of ones of similar styles, grading practice exams, or for assignments where AI usage is mandatory.

When asked if she believed there was an environmental impact, high school senior Madeline M. responded “Extremely, it’s terrible for our environment, specifically the data centers, the destruction of local environments, the use of water. How that’s playing a toll on the environment is really detrimental”. When other students were asked, only one person was unaware of any issues of sustainability. Knowledge of resulting environmental issues were common yet vague, students often mentioned “something about water usage” and data centers. Others were concerned about methane emissions and fossil fuels. 

Data centers have been around since the 1940s but the rise of AI has rapidly created a demand for more, resulting in mass construction especially in rural communities. Rural communities are affected by “long-term costs, including changes in land use, water demand, and strain on local and regional electrical grids and public services”. The difference between today’s data centers and the first one built by the University of Pennsylvania is that generative-machine learning models must be trained, requiring “1,287 megawatt hours of electricity (enough to power about 120 average U.S. homes for a year), generating about 552 tons of carbon dioxide” according to researchers from Google and the University of California at Berkeley. Outside of energy, “A data center like Meta’s…typically guzzles around 500,000 gallons of water a day. [Newer data centers] are set to be even thirstier, requiring millions of gallons of water a day, according to water permit applications reviewed by The New York Times” and the water is used to cool servers after every generative prompt. 

Environmental impacts can be a sensitive topic for many. Generative artificial intelligence is not the first emerging technology to bring up environmental concerns and criticism against concerns. There is natural resource strain from many things other than AI, including golfing, clothing manufacturing, cars, the mining industry, and much more. While it is almost impossible to avoid having an environmental impact, it is completely in one’s ability to be mindful of the impact they have, and as a result be meaningful with their actions. There is a reason AI is around, and it’s not just to drain natural resources: it helps many improve their day to day lives. Education on AI is spreading along with its popularity, especially in students. Every single student I interviewed believed that learning about the environmental impacts of emerging technologies was crucial. One student stated, “I think not enough people know about the impact and if they did, they would be more mindful about their AI usage and use it in instances that really matter to them”. 

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 Bibliography

Pipa, Anthony F., and Adam Aley, comps. The Local Implications of Data Centers for Rural

Communities in the US. Brookings, 2026. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/local- implications-data-centers-rural-communities-us/.

Zewe, Adam. "Explained: Generative AI's Environmental Impact." MIT News, January 17, 2025. Accessed April 26, 2026. https://news.mit.edu/2025/explained-generative-ai- environmental-impact-0117.

Tan, Eli. "Their Water Taps Ran Dry When Meta Built Next Door." The New York Times, July 14, 2025. Accessed April 26, 2026. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/14/technology/ meta-data-center-water.html?unlocked_article_code=1.eFA.loWo.k6AezjfwsfbW&smid=url-

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