ChatGPT has become a popular AI tool since its 2022 launch. People use it for job applications, homework, dating advice, and general questions. But behind the convenience lies a dark environmental impact.
Each chat with ChatGPT uses water – about 50cl for every 10 to 50 messages, according to recent reports. That’s nearly a small bottle of drinking water, gone each time someone has a conversation.
It’s not just water. The tool uses over half a million kilowatt-hours of electricity per day – enough to power about 180,000 U.S. homes daily. This electricity helps run massive data centres that handle your AI requests.
And to keep those servers cool, huge amounts of clean drinking water are used. Water must be pure, or it can damage the systems. The cooling process, similar to how humans sweat, causes the water to evaporate and disappear forever.
A tech analyst estimated that ChatGPT costs over £500,000 per day to run. Even typing “please” or “thank you” adds a little extra load.
Experts warn the impact will grow. By 2050, two-thirds of the world could face water scarcity, yet we’re spending clean water on servers instead of people.
OpenAI responded by saying they are working to improve efficiency and support sustainability goals.
Bottom line? Before asking ChatGPT, maybe try your mum, a friend, or even Reddit.
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