The energy consumption of artificial intelligence is gaining significant attention, especially as leading companies like Meta and Google explore innovative power sources, including nuclear energy and potential space-based data centers. Recently, OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman stated that an average ChatGPT query consumes about 0.34 watt-hours, comparable to the energy used by an oven in just over a second. However, this figure lacks contextual clarity, leading to questions about its accuracy. The complexity of AI energy usage arises from the many components involved—cooling systems, networking, and storage, which are essential for overall operations but not detailed in Altman’s claims. Additionally, it remains unclear whether this average is based on multiple AI models or a single one. With the rapid progression of models, such as GPT-5, which may use significantly more energy per query, understanding true AI energy consumption is crucial for addressing sustainability in AI technology.
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