Artificial intelligence is rapidly advancing, but the infrastructure behind the technology is also drawing attention to its environmental demands. The problem was brought up at Climate Week NYC when an Indian student challenged Josh Parker, head of sustainability at NVIDIA, during a panel discussion on the technology and climate change.The student in the clip shared by Brut India raises concerns about the resources used to support the artificial intelligence industry. The student mentioned the pressure data centers can put on water supplies. The student claimed that his family in India is facing drought due to the advancements in this technology.Not only this, but the student also asked NVIDIA about the broader environmental impact of AI infrastructure. There were student protesters at Climate Week NYC, and they questioned tech companies about how artificial intelligence is affecting the environment.They were especially concerned about the huge amount of electricity and emissions from data centres, along with the water needed to cool AI equipment. Now, this incident sheds light on a big issue: AI needs a lot of resources to operate.NVIDIA’s role is related to the growing demand for computing power in the industry, as it makes the chips and systems that power much of the AI infrastructure.However, this isn't just about one company. Like NVIDIA, there are other firms that have their own data centers. And these centers need a huge amount of water and electricity for functioning and the cooling process.Now, the impact they make on the environment also depends on where this data center is actually located. It's also important to note that the type of energy used and the cooling equipment also play a big role. So, the student can be seen raising a major issue.More details below.AI's growing footprint raises questions over water and energy use View this post on Instagram Instagram PostIn recent times, when artificial intelligence is already a big issue, and there are people claiming that this technology could even kill humans in the coming time, an Indian student at Climate Week NYC also questioned the impact artificial intelligence and data centers are having on the environment.As explained earlier, water is the main source used to cool down the systems, and this is what the student is concerned about and has brought up the drought issue his family is facing. Data centers have huge servers inside them, which perform the computing workloads required for AI.These machines generate heat and therefore require cooling systems for safe operation. This is a problem that is particularly relevant to India, where parts of the country are already under water stress, and the data-centre industry is expanding.But at the same time, NVIDIA has talked about ways to reduce the demand for water used for this advanced technology and the infrastructure. Josh Parker previously spoke about cooling technology that can help solve the issue, but has also said that communities have questions about the effects of data centers.So, the Climate Week confrontation is mainly about the question regarding the impacts of artificial technology and its rapid growth. The main question raised is how companies can still make these advanced systems while preventing the pressure they put on energy, water, and other natural resources.NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang says AI could change the skills people needNVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang (Image Source: Getty)NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang defended the growing role of AI in everyday work, arguing that people may not need to hold on to every basic skill they once learned. In an interview with New York Times columnist Ezra Klein, Huang was asked about students who are increasingly using AI for tasks such as mathematics.The discussion included concerns that young people could lose practice with skills such as multiplication, long division, and calculating square roots. When asked whether it really matters if people stop remembering such basics, Huang replied, “Does it matter?”He compared this change with relying on technology to remember personal details, saying he does not even remember his own phone number. The CEO even said:"We’re going to lose some finer intellectual dexterity, but we’re going to be better systems thinkers."This means the CEO of NVIDIA is trying to explain that artificial intelligence can actually help people focus more on complex tasks. It can deal with other routine tasks, allowing people to focus more on what they find challenging.