New Delhi, June 25 -- As the world tries to curb human-caused climate change and not run dry of water, every online query is increasing our environmental footprint and exacerbating the problem.

Artificial intelligence and the data centers they require use growing amounts of energy and are water hogs - and AI companies aren't transparent about how much of those resources they use, experts said. So each time you turn to the internet and seek an AI-fueled response, it's gobbling up precious resources.

"AI is going in the opposite direction to decarbonization efforts," said cognitive computer scientist Sasha Luccioni, co-founder and chief scientific officer of the Sustainable AI Group. "We should be thinking about where we are going towards...