AI DAMN/AI Expert Warns: ChatGPT Queries Waste Water and Energy

AI Expert Warns: ChatGPT Queries Waste Water and Energy

date
Dec 10, 2024
damn
language
en
status
Published
type
News
image
https://www.ai-damn.com/1733798359531-202304231721019071_2.jpg
slug
ai-expert-warns-chatgpt-queries-waste-water-and-energy-1733798389191
tags
AI
ChatGPT
Sustainability
Generative AI
Environmental Impact
summary
AI expert Kate Crawford highlights the environmental impact of generative AI, including water wastage and energy consumption. She emphasizes the need for sustainability over AI competition, urging companies to consider the broader consequences of their technology's growth.
In a recent lecture, Australian AI expert Kate Crawford addressed the growing environmental concerns surrounding the rise of generative AI technologies like ChatGPT. While artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly popular, with more than 300 million users worldwide, Crawford warned of the significant environmental toll AI is taking.
 

The Environmental Impact of AI

At the State Library of Victoria, Crawford discussed how rapidly growing AI technologies could soon consume energy equivalent to that of Japan within a year. This surge in energy consumption, along with the carbon footprint of AI systems, has raised alarms among experts about the long-term sustainability of the industry. Crawford urged companies to focus on sustainable development rather than engaging in a race for AI dominance.
 
Crawford, a prominent figure in the AI community, noted the urgency of addressing climate change and reducing carbon emissions by mid-century. She explained that the environmental impact of generative AI is an issue that requires immediate action. "We are under immense pressure to achieve decarbonization by the middle of this century. If we do not, we will face serious consequences that will affect everyone," she stated.
 

ChatGPT's Water Wastage

One of the more eye-opening aspects of Crawford's lecture was her comparison of the environmental cost of a single ChatGPT query to the consumption of water. She pointed out that each query results in the wastage of half a liter of water. This striking analogy was used to highlight the often-overlooked resource consumption associated with AI systems.
 
"We are wasting a significant amount of water on these systems, and many people are not aware that this is actually a major issue," Crawford explained. She emphasized that the focus of the AI industry should not be on competition but on sustainability, urging companies to consider the broader environmental consequences of their innovations.
 

Rethinking the Role of AI in Society

Since the launch of ChatGPT, the technology has made waves not only among competitors but also among the public. Crawford believes that now is the time to critically assess AI's actual utility and its potential drawbacks. While generative AI holds the promise of advancing society, Crawford suggests that it should be seen as a tool for social prosperity, rather than a source of future environmental or societal issues.
 
She argued that, in the pursuit of progress, AI must serve humanity's broader goals without compromising the planet's well-being. "Generative AI should be a catalyst for social prosperity, not a source of problems that we will have to address in the future," she concluded.
 
notion image
 
Image source note: Image generated by AI, image licensed by Midjourney.
 
Key Points
  1. A single ChatGPT query wastes half a liter of water, drawing attention to the environmental cost of AI systems.
  1. Generative AI's energy consumption could match Japan's level within a year, urging the need for sustainable development plans.
  1. Sustainability, not competition, should be the top priority in the AI industry.

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