The reason why AI could become Spain's biggest problem: it has to do with something as essential as water

We have just entered the "Age of Artificial Intelligence," and it's here to stay, possibly for the rest of our lives, or until a superior technology arrives, something that, at least right now, is beyond the imagination of even the most futuristic.

That's why everyone is trying to adapt to AI as quickly as possible , since those who arrive first and have the most control over this technology will have the most power and benefits. This has led to all companies in the sector having AI projects, but not just corporations; entire countries are now focusing resources on promoting AI in their own territories . As is often the case, the US and China stand out above the rest.

But other nations don't want to be left behind. The European Union wants to boost our presence in this technology and aims to triple the capacity of EU countries' data centers within seven years . Spain could become the country leading the way. This is because tech giants like Amazon and Microsoft have chosen Zaragoza to build some of the world's largest data centers.

Both companies have already invested billions in the land that will house these centers, and while this has been welcomed, with José Luis Escrivá, former Minister of Digital Transformation, even boasting that Spain will be "at the forefront of technological innovation and artificial intelligence in Europe," there is a troubling side to this news.

Now that summer and the heat are here, no one can deny that Spain is becoming a dry and arid country . Although it has rained a lot this year, we all know this is not normal, and that drought is a reality in most of Spain. However, it seems this has not been taken into account when selling and permitting the construction of these data centers, because these facilities require huge amounts of water, mainly for cooling, since the servers and electronic equipment generate heat during operation.

Last year alone, data centers' energy demand was around 62 million cubic meters of water, the equivalent of filling 24,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools , and this number will only increase over the years, while at the same time increasingly dry years are predicted.

Therefore, although the arrival of these multinational technology companies will bring new employment opportunities to these localities, a wave of opposition to data centers has emerged, driven primarily by the agricultural sector , with campaigns such as "Your Cloud Drys My River."

And it's not just Spain; Ireland and France are also denouncing the EU's insistence on pushing AI development at any price, even if it means taking down farmers and an ecosystem like Spain's, which is already suffering from drought.