Artificial Intelligence: Official Position Statement Approved by WEF
Official Position Statement Approved by WEF
Date of Approval: March 2, 2026
Expiration Date: March 2, 2029 (reviewed annually)
Artificial Intelligence (AI), defined as the ability of machines to simulate human intelligence, has reshaped industries, offering transformative potential to enhance productivity, drive innovation, and tackle complex global challenges, including those related to water sustainability. By leveraging AI, the sector can overcome a variety of challenges; however, as AI technology rapidly expands and is poised to revolutionize innovation across all sectors, pressing concerns arise around ethical implications, social and environmental impacts, accountability, workforce, bias, and safety, necessitating comprehensive policy evaluation and guidance.
AI technologies can influence water resources and water management in meaningful and challenging ways. The infrastructure that supports advanced AI, such as data centers, cloud platforms, and high‑performance computing, can contribute to increased water and energy needs, particularly for cooling and power generation. As communities plan for future water use, incorporating these emerging demands can help ensure balanced and sustainable resource management. By integrating water‑aware design practices and supportive policies, it is possible to advance AI innovations while also maintaining strong community resilience and responsible environmental stewardship.
WEF recognizes the critical importance of addressing AI's opportunities and challenges to ensure its responsible application for societal benefit. This includes aligning AI-driven innovations with global efforts to safeguard vital water resources, in line with WEF’s mission and values. WEF emphasizes the need for adaptive governance, transparency, and precautionary, systems-based approaches that allow innovation to proceed while safeguarding utilities, communities, and the environment against unintended consequences.
