The hidden cost of AI

For better or for worse, AI is here to stay. But as with so many other innovations, it has been adopted without thinking of unintended consequences, one of which is the impact on our climate.

AI consumes a lot of energy. In fact, it’s estimated that a single ChatGPT query creates 2.5 to 5 grams of carbon emissions. That’s not a lot on its own, but since it gets about 10 million queries per day, the long-term impact could be devastating if we don’t transition away from fossil fuels. AI also requires a significant amount of data storage, which requires a lot of energy to provide cooling and maintenance. Not to mention the stress on our energy grid.

While AI could potentially be used to help the environment, if the good is to outweigh the bad, we must prioritize the study and implementation of energy-efficient hardware and algorithms.

Luke Daniels

Rochester