Google has made a significant move towards transparency in AI energy consumption by revealing the energy footprint of its Gemini AI model. A recent report indicates that a single text prompt consumes just 0.24 watt-hours of electricity, equating to the power used for watching TV for less than nine seconds. It also estimates carbon emissions at 0.03 grams of CO2 equivalent and water usage at 0.26 milliliters. Google attributes these improvements to enhanced software efficiency and a shift toward cleaner energy, achieving a 33-fold reduction in energy usage and a 44-fold decrease in carbon footprint per prompt. Despite this, critics argue that the report omits essential upstream costs linked to AI training and hardware production. As competition heightens, Google’s disclosure may prompt other tech giants to adopt similar transparency measures. This initiative marks a vital step toward balancing AI innovation and sustainability, emphasizing the necessity for comprehensive lifecycle assessments in AI operations.
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