When we think about the environmental impact of technology, we often focus on the energy consumption of our devices or the e-waste generated by our discarded gadgets. But what about the environmental cost of the AI systems that power many of our online interactions?
A recent research paper from Google sheds some light on this question, and the results might surprise you.
The Environmental Impact of AI
Google’s research measured the environmental impact of running a single prompt on their Gemini AI system. The numbers are strikingly low:
- 0.24 Wh of energy
- 0.03 grams of CO₂
- 0.26 mL of water
These figures are significantly lower than previous estimates, suggesting that our understanding of AI’s environmental impact might be flawed.
What Does This Mean?
This research has important implications for our understanding of AI’s role in sustainability. While AI systems do consume energy and resources, their overall impact might be smaller than we thought.
This doesn’t mean we can be complacent, however. As AI becomes more widespread, its cumulative environmental impact will grow. We need to continue to develop more sustainable AI systems and practices to mitigate this effect.
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If you’re interested in learning more about Google’s research, you can check out the full paper here or watch a video summary here.