Impact Insider: AI's Rising Energy Appetite

What if our smart gadgets could eat? Turns out, they sort of do, and they’re hungrier than you might think.

Imagine if every interaction with AI—from asking your smart speaker about the weather to searching the web—wasn’t just a digital action but a real appetite for energy. Training cutting-edge AI models like GPT-3 is a power-hungry process, devouring as much electricity annually as hundreds of U.S. homes combined. Yet, the hunger doesn’t cease post-training. As these systems come online, powering our daily queries and commands, their energy consumption can soar, using up to?60% more? than during their initial setup.

Every AI-driven query is an energy guzzler, with some estimates suggesting that a single AI-enhanced search could require?four to five times ?the energy of a standard search engine query. This hefty energy requirement underscores the extensive, often overlooked footprint of our routine interactions with technology.

But the impact of AI stretches beyond electricity. Data centers, the behemoths that host these AI operations, gulp down vast amounts of water—around?300,000 ?gallons per day on average—to stay cool. They also rely on a steady supply of precious metals and minerals to build the hardware they run on, further deepening their environmental impact. As AI weaves itself more tightly into the fabric of our daily lives, its voracious consumption of our planet’s resources only grows, spotlighting the need for sustainable advancements in this transformative technology.

What We’re Reading

Can AI Fulfill its Potential Without Harming the Environment?

President Biden’s new Executive Order isn’t just about AI safety—it’s also tackling AI’s big appetite for energy and resources, aiming to keep our tech advances from costing the earth. Can we avoid disaster?

The Carbon Impact of AI

While AI aids in climate crisis solutions, it also leaves a hefty carbon footprint. Training complex AI models consumes energy comparable to thousands of flights, highlighting the urgent need for sustainable tech practices.

AI’s Unsustainable Water Usage

Artificial intelligence isn’t just power-hungry; it’s also incredibly thirsty.?

Hey Everyone,

Wow, AI’s footprint is growing fast, isn’t it? It’s not just college students with essays or book reports anymore. Big industries, like oil and gas, are now using AI to pump out resources quicker and cheaper—92% of them are on board or getting there.

But here’s what I’m chewing on: Should we slow down? What if we added some guardrails to make sure AI doesn’t just run wild?

I’d love to hear your thoughts. Do you think we need more checks on AI to keep our planet safe? What kind of measures would you suggest?

Chime in, and let’s talk it out. Catch you in the thread. Want to chat? Let's connect on Calendly .