California Wildfires Highlight Environmental Cost of AI: The Hidden Water Price of ChatGPT
2025-01-09
Fortune
As California wildfires spark concerns about environmental sustainability, the water-guzzling nature of AI technologies like ChatGPT has come under scrutiny. With the AI revolution in full swing, the alarming truth is that training and operating these models requires massive amounts of energy and water. In fact, if just 10% of the US population used ChatGPT to write a weekly email, it would consume over 435 million liters of water. This staggering statistic highlights the need for more eco-friendly AI solutions and sustainable practices in the tech industry, including the use of renewable energy sources and green data centers.
