Environmental Impact By AI: Have you ever wondered when you ChatGPT If we ask a simple question, how much resources are spent on it? Generally people believe that AI runs only on electricity, but the reality is more shocking than this. A report from the US has revealed that AI technology, especially ChatGPT, also requires water to function. This information is not only surprising, but also gives a serious signal for the environment.

How much water does ChatGPT use?

According to a report by Washington Post and University of California, Riverside, when a user asks ChatGPT a question, about 500 milliliters of water is spent in preparing the answer. That means ChatGPT uses about half a liter of water on every question. However, this water is not directly consumed by the machine, rather it is used to keep the AI ​​system cool.

Why does AI need water?

Running large AI models like ChatGPT requires huge computer servers, called data centers. These servers continuously process data 24 hours a day, which generates a huge amount of heat. It is very important to control this heat, otherwise the system may fail. There are two major systems used to cool data centers.

First is Evaporative Cooling Systems, i.e. steam based cooling system and second is Air Conditioning Units, i.e. AC based system. These processes consume water, due to which an average of half a liter of water is spent on each question.

How much power does AI consume?

Along with water, a huge amount of electricity is also required to run AI systems. According to reports, as the use of ChatGPT increases, the demand for electricity also increases rapidly. If millions of people used ChatGPT daily, its energy requirements could be equivalent to the electricity consumption of an entire city. This is especially a matter of concern in countries where electricity production is still dependent on coal or other polluting sources.

Increasing pressure of AI on the environment

On one hand, the increasing popularity of AI is pushing forward the digital revolution, while on the other hand it is also deepening the environmental crisis. In areas where there is already water shortage, data centers can make the water crisis more serious. Constant demand for electricity increases the pressure on energy resources and if this energy does not come from renewable sources, carbon emissions also increase rapidly. It is clear that in the coming times, along with the development of AI, it will be necessary to seriously consider its environmental impacts.