ChatGPT using 500,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity daily

Due to its increased energy consumption, the widespread use of artificial intelligence (AI) technology has sparked worries about its potential effects on the environment. According to reports, ChatGPT uses more energy than 500,000 kilowatt-hours a day, which is much more than the average family uses. Such AI systems have the potential to consume more energy than whole nations if they are extensively used.

According to findings published by The New Yorker, OpenAI's widely-used chatbot, ChatGPT, is estimated to consume over half a million kilowatt-hours of electricity daily to handle approximately 200 million requests. To put this into perspective, the average American household utilizes around 29 kilowatt-hours per day.

Comparing these figures reveals that ChatGPT's energy usage surpasses that of an average household by more than 17 thousand times.

The implications become even more alarming when considering potential future scenarios. If large tech companies like Google were to integrate generative AI technology into every search, it could lead to an annual electricity consumption of approximately 29 billion kilowatt-hours. This surpasses the yearly energy consumption of entire countries like Kenya, Guatemala, and Croatia.

Despite the significant impact on energy consumption, accurately quantifying the electricity usage of the AI industry remains challenging. Variability in AI model operations and a lack of transparency from major tech companies contribute to this difficulty. However, estimates based on data from Nvidia, a leading chipmaker in the AI market, suggest a substantial increase in energy consumption within the sector in the coming years.

Comparing these projections with the energy usage of other high-consumption industries reveals the magnitude of the issue. For instance, while Samsung utilizes close to 23 terawatt-hours annually, tech giants like Google and Microsoft use slightly more than 12 and 10 terawatt-hours, respectively, to power their operations.

As discussions around environmental sustainability gain momentum, the burgeoning energy consumption of AI technologies underscores the urgent need for innovation and regulation to mitigate their impact on global resources.