ChatGPT’s energy usage is a hot topic. Sam Altman, OpenAI’s CEO, shared some insights on his blog. He says one interaction with ChatGPT uses about 0.000085 gallons of water – that’s roughly 1/15 of a teaspoon.
People often wonder how much energy ChatGPT really uses. Altman breaks it down: one interaction uses about 0.34 watt-hours of electricity. To put that into perspective, it’s like using a high-efficiency light bulb for a few minutes or an oven for about a second.
Altman believes the energy cost of using AI should be similar to the cost of electricity itself. However, he doesn’t reveal where these numbers come from.
The AI industry is under scrutiny for its high energy costs. The Verge reports that researchers predict AI could use more energy than bitcoin mining by the end of 2025.
According to an article in The Washington Post, a 100-word email generated by an AI chatbot using GPT-4 uses about as much energy as a bottle of water. But the article notes that the amount of water used depends on the location of the data center.