ChatGPTs Energy Drain Altmans Surprising Data Revealed
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- Sam Altman states a ChatGPT prompt consumes approximately "0.34 watt-hours" of electricity, comparable to an oven running for about one second.
- He also notes that a single ChatGPT prompt uses about "0.000085 gallons of water; roughly one-fifteenth of a teaspoon."
- While these figures are minimal in isolation, ChatGPT boasts over 400 million weekly users, who likely issue multiple prompts daily.
OpenAI CEO, Sam Altman, has disclosed ChatGPT's energy usage for a single prompt. While the amount might seem lower than anticipated, its cumulative global impact could be significant for the planet.
In a post on his blog, Altman specified, "The average query uses about 0.34 watt-hours, about what an oven would use in a little over one second, or a high-efficiency lightbulb would use in a couple of minutes. It also uses about 0.000085 gallons of water; roughly one-fifteenth of a teaspoon."
While this might not appear substantial for an individual prompt, ChatGPT has around 400 million active weekly users, and this user base is expanding rapidly. It's also important to remember the growing array of AI tools and chatbots available, such as Google Gemini and Anthropic's Claude, meaning overall AI energy consumption will be even greater.
Last month, a study from MIT Technology Review highlighted that a five-second AI video can consume as much energy as a microwave operating for an hour or more. Although Altman's revealed figures for ChatGPT prompts are far lower, concerns persist given the extensive interaction people have with AI.
We rely on AI, so is this energy consumption a concern?
Concerns about ChatGPT's energy consumption are persistent and growing louder as AI usage continues to increase. Altman's blog post, while potentially reassuring some with its relatively low isolated energy and water usage figures, could also intensify the debate.
Earlier this week, a major ChatGPT outage left millions unable to use the chatbot. The widespread impact of this outage, as evidenced by numerous communications, offered a new perspective on our reliance on AI.
While the energy consumption of AI is a valid concern, it's also important to acknowledge the technology's positive contributions and how it is enhancing the lives of millions.
The climate crisis affects everyone, but often the working class bears the brunt of the consequences. While large-scale energy consumption by platforms like ChatGPT may pose a serious future problem, it exists alongside other significant energy consumers, such as private jets making short flights.
The discussion around AI and climate impact is complex. Critics of AI's environmental footprint are often equally concerned about the impact of other technologies. That said, we are only at the dawn of the AI revolution, and its energy consumption is set to rise. The crucial question is: at what point should this become a primary worry?
