For every time you perform a simple search via an AI-powered chatbot like ChatGPT, it takes about half a liter of water to cool down the data server halls needed for the system to function writes Forbes.
– Search engines or chatbots are the type of technology where you start to see quite clearly that energy use and the carbon footprint are growing, says Victor Galaz associate professor at the Stockholm Resilience Center at Stockholm University.
Energy consumption as big as Japan
According to a report which International Energy Agency released earlier this year, the energy use for, among other things, AI is estimated to be as large as all of Japan’s annual energy consumption in 2026.
– Both countries and technology companies realize that the need for energy is increasing, says associate professor Victor Galaz.
Lack of transparency in companies
AI companies like OpenAI are not completely transparent about how much energy is used to develop the systems, which is why there are only estimates.
– Maybe it’s business secrets, maybe they don’t want to make themselves vulnerable to criticism, Victor Galaz believes.
Hear Victor Galaz answer three questions about AI and the climate in the clip.