Recent studies have highlighted the environmental impact of AI chatbots like ChatGPT. According to Digital Trends, ChatGPT consumes significant amounts of water and electricity, raising questions about the sustainability of AI technology. For instance, it’s been reported that producing a 100-word email using ChatGPT can require up to 1.4 liters of water, depending on the location of the data center. This is due to the use of liquid cooling systems in many AI data centers. Additionally, using ChatGPT consumes a notable amount of power. If 1/10 of the US population used ChatGPT to write a 100-word email each week, the electricity consumed would be equivalent to that of an entire household in Washington, DC, in 20 days.
This issue is not unique to ChatGPT, as other AI models also demand substantial resources. Reports have also suggested that the emergence of AI could lead to a significant increase in carbon emissions due to data centers, with predictions indicating a potential tripling of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
These findings underscore the need for tech companies to prioritize sustainable solutions to minimize the adverse environmental impact of generative AI technologies.