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AI-induced pollution could kill hundreds, cost billions, researchers say By Troy Wolverton | Examiner staff writer | Feb 11, 2025 Updated Feb 11, 2025 By 2030, because of the expected increase in electricity demand for training and running AI models, data center-related air pollution could result in as many as 1,270 premature deaths and 600,000 cases of asthma nationwide on an annual basis, according to the study. All told, the pollution would cause as much as $21.5 billion per year in health-care costs, the researchers said. People often associate air pollution with cars, Ren said. But that projected cost from AI-related pollution exceeds the health cost of the pollution generated by cars in California, he said. Indeed, one of the things that surprised researchers was “the magnitude of the public-health burden” imposed by data centers, he said. It could also be understated, he said. https://www.sfexaminer.com/news/technology/ai-induced-pollution-could-kill-hundreds-cost-billions-researchers-say/article_6449a044-e811-11ef-88d2-473a3ec5a724.html