The company reported a strong holiday quarter on Thursday. But its spending, like that at other big technology companies, is starting to make investors nervous.
The e-commerce giant has been cutting costs while pouring resources into building data centers to compete in the race to dominate artificial intelligence.
Driven by the artificial intelligence frenzy, Microsoft is internally projecting that water use at its data centers will more than double by 2030 from 2020, including in places that face shortages.
The steady accumulation of snow and freezing rain and a rise in demand for electricity can cause problems long after the sky clears, energy experts said.
Despite many proposals, there is little consensus among governors, lawmakers and tech executives about exactly how much the companies behind data centers should pay for electricity.
Three Democrats are seeking information from tech firms about the growing energy use of data centers and the utility bills of individuals and other businesses.
The energy needs of data centers used for artificial intelligence are forcing utility companies to spend billions of dollars to upgrade the power grid, the lawmakers said.
The data centers used for work on artificial intelligence can cost tens of billions to build. Tech giants are finding ways to avoid being on the hook for some of those costs.
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