We hardly noticed when ChatGPT, DeepSeek, and other AI chatbots snuck into every segment of our lives – from planning family trips to solving complicated work tasks, and even dealing with love problems.
Life has undoubtedly become easier with this sophisticated technology, but if we rely on it too much, the question is whether we’ll manage to preserve our curiosity, creativity, and ability to think independently.
Whether out of fear that artificial intelligence will soon become the dominant form of intelligence, or from a need to maintain some human-like contact with their digital interlocutor, many users feel compelled to thank AI chatbots for their help. While this may seem like a small, charming gesture, it actually comes at a cost. OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, recently shared a fact that shook the public: daily thank-yous to ChatGPT have so far cost the company tens of millions of dollars, with the largest part of that expense attributed to electricity and water usage.
The Digital Giant That Consumes Resources
To understand why, we need to look at how AI chatbots work. Every time we ask a question, data is processed on powerful servers housed in massive data centers that consume enormous amounts of electricity. The so-called “training” of a large language model, such as GPT, according to a study from the University of Michigan, can consume up to 1,287 megawatt-hours of electricity – enough to power an average household in the U.S. for 120 years.
What’s even more concerning is the use of water. Servers not only require power but must also be intensively cooled – a process that often involves large quantities of water. A study from the University of California, Riverside, shows that an average user who sends 20 to 50 queries to ChatGPT per day indirectly consumes up to half a liter of water. Globally, this amounts to millions of liters every day, and just training the GPT-3 model used about 700,000 liters of water.
In a world where most electricity still comes from fossil fuels, and water is becoming an increasingly precious and scarce resource, these figures can’t be ignored. Perhaps it’s time to think more carefully about when and how we interact with digital assistants.
AI as the Planet’s Ally
But it’s not all bad – artificial intelligence also has a bright, highly useful side, especially when it comes to environmental protection.
Thanks to data analysis, AI enables more precise planning and use of resources across almost all industries. It can also suggest more efficient transportation routes, optimize electricity consumption in buildings and homes, or assist in developing heating and cooling systems that are less harmful to the planet.
AI is also a great teacher – capable of explaining how to properly sort waste, how to make useful things from what we would otherwise throw away, and how to raise environmental awareness in children, adults, and decision-makers alike.
So, the question is not whether we should use AI, but how to do it responsibly. Instead of mindless chatting, we should aim for every interaction to have a purpose, helping to solve specific problems – and save pleasantries like thank-yous for our fellow humans.
Milena Maglovski
