Recent research has revealed an intriguing yet somewhat startling fact: writing a 100-word email using ChatGPT consumes 519 milliliters of water, roughly equivalent to a 16.9-ounce bottle of mineral water.
This study, conducted by The Washington Post and the University of California, Riverside, indicates that the resource consumption of AI could exacerbate drought issues caused by humans, especially in arid climates.
The research meticulously analyzed the electricity required to run generative AI servers and the water needed to cool these servers. The consumption of water and electricity varies across different regions, particularly in Washington State and Arizona, where water demand is higher. In some areas, electricity is cheaper or more abundant, leading them to opt for electrical cooling rather than water-based cooling towers.
If we assume that one in ten working Americans uses ChatGPT to write a 100-word email weekly, the annual water consumption for AI would reach an astonishing 435,235,476 liters, roughly equivalent to one and a half days of water usage in Rhode Island. As for electricity, each email consumes 0.14 kilowatt-hours, enough to power 14 LED bulbs for an hour. If this continues for a year, the electricity consumption would total 121,517 megawatt-hours, roughly equivalent to 20 days of electricity usage for all households in Washington, D.C.
Additionally, training GPT-3 consumed 700,000 liters of water. OpenAI representatives mentioned in response that they have been working to improve efficiency.
Interestingly, the study also found that generating an AI image requires more electricity, with 2.907 kilowatt-hours needed for every thousand inferences, a figure that is even more shocking compared to email generation. Over-reliance on AI could have negative impacts on both the planet and the economy. While AI offers certain short-term benefits, its resource consumption is concerning. Many consumers express dissatisfaction with AI usage in customer service, prompting businesses to adopt a long-term perspective and create sustainable technology usage policies.
Key Points:
💧 Each 100-word email sent using ChatGPT consumes 519 milliliters of water, approximately equal to a bottle of mineral water.
⚡ Training GPT-3 consumed 700,000 liters of water, while sending an email consumes 0.14 kilowatt-hours of electricity.
🌱 Over-reliance on AI may lead to resource consumption issues, necessitating sustainable policies from businesses.
