What's the environmental cost of an AI text prompt? Google says it has an answer
Summary
Google released a methodology for measuring the environmental impact of AI prompts, reporting energy and water usage metrics for its Gemini AI service.
Key quotes
Sending a single text prompt consumes as much energy as watching television for nine seconds.
A typical Gemini text query uses 0.24 watt-hours (Wh) of energy, emits 0.03 grams of carbon dioxide equivalent (gCO2e), and consumes 0.26 milliliters — or about five drops — of water.
The article discusses Google’s efforts to quantify the energy, water, and carbon emissions associated with generative AI inference. It compares Gemini’s resource consumption to that of ChatGPT and notes a lack of regulatory requirements for corporate disclosure.