Artificial intelligence (AI) is integral to modern life, but its rising energy consumption raises concerns. Google is the first tech company to disclose the energy, emissions, and water usage associated with its AI software, Gemini. A median Gemini text prompt consumes 0.24 watt-hours (Wh), emits 0.03 grams of CO2 equivalent, and uses 0.26 milliliters of water. Google’s comprehensive methodology highlights that the total environmental impact is influenced by various factors, including prompt length and model efficiency. Remarkably, the energy and carbon footprint of Gemini text prompts decreased by 33 and 44 times, respectively, in the past year. Despite this, emissions surged by 51% since 2019 due to increased data center demands for AI. The International Energy Agency (IEA) projects that data centers could consume 4.5% of global electricity by 2030. Google aims for net-zero emissions and to replenish 120% of the freshwater used by its data centers by 2030.
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