- Let’s begin with energy. Every time we ask a question using ChatGPT, we are not just tapping into a floating brain in the sky. We are activating massive servers that burn through electricity.
- AI does not just consume electricity. It consumes water too. Data centres get hot, and to keep them cool, they use enormous amounts of water.
What is AI?
AI, or artificial intelligence, refers to the ability of a digital computer or computer-controlled robot to perform tasks commonly associated with intelligent beings. The term is most often associated with the development of systems that demonstrate intellectual processes characteristic of humans. These include the ability to think, reason, discover meaning, generalize, or learn from past experience. When most of us think about AI, we imagine something almost magical. For instance, you type a question into ChatGPT and suddenly, in the blink of an eye, you have an answer. No sweat. No waiting. It feels clean and instant, like it lives in some untouchable cloud. But here’s what nobody tells us: AI has a body. Not a human one, of course, but a physical body made of data centres, microchips, cooling systems, and power plants. And that body eats, drinks, and leaves a footprint. A big one. Greenpeace and other organizations have been sounding the alarm, and honestly, some of the numbers are shocking.
- But here’s what nobody tells us: AI has a body. Not a human one, of course, but a physical body made of data centres, microchips, cooling systems, and power plants. And that body eats, drinks, and leaves a footprint. A big one
The Energy Behind Every Quick Answer
Let’s begin with energy. Every time we ask a question using ChatGPT, we are not just tapping into a floating brain in the sky. We are activating massive servers that burn through electricity. According to the International Energy Agency, a single request made through ChatGPT consumes about ten times the electricity of a single Google search. Most of that energy comes from the burning of fossil fuels, which releases large amounts of greenhouse gases and contributes significantly to climate change. In Ireland, a tech hub, the International Energy Agency estimates that by 2026, data centres could account for nearly 35 percent of the country’s total energy consumption. Think about how many people are using AI right now. Billions of people are sending billions of questions every month and generating billions of AI-created pictures and videos. It all adds up. When OpenAI trained GPT-3, the process released the equivalent of 552 metric tons of carbon dioxide. That is about the same as driving 123 gas-powered cars for an entire year.
AI Needs to Stay Hydrated Too
AI does not just consume electricity. It consumes water too. Data centres get hot, and to keep them cool, they use enormous amounts of water. Most data centres rely on water during construction and operation to cool their electronic components. According to one estimate, AI-related infrastructure may soon consume six times more water than the entire country of Denmark. This is a huge issue, especially considering that half of the planet’s population lacks reliable access to water and sanitation. Microsoft’s water usage increased by 34 percent in a single year due to AI. Google’s usage went up by around 30 percent. In 2022 alone, Google consumed over 21 billion litres of freshwater just to keep its servers from overheating. Alarmingly, many of these data centres are located in areas already struggling with water scarcity. While we are asking AI questions like “Why did he take six hours to reply to me?” or “Is he manipulating me?”, local farmers and families might be fighting for clean water. AI could place additional stress on regions already prone to drought.
The Composition of the Circuits
Now let us talk about what AI is actually made of. To build a single two-kilogram computer, we need around 800 kilograms of raw materials. These include metals, plastics, and minerals, all extracted from the earth using highly destructive methods. Mining for these materials destroys ecosystems, pollutes water sources, and often exploits vulnerable workers. When servers get old, most of them end up as electronic waste. AI is expected to significantly increase the already massive amounts of e-waste produced globally. Less than a quarter of this waste is properly recycled. It is clear that AI does not exist in a weightless, consequence-free digital world. It is built from very real and very messy extraction.
The Real Truth
About AI
The United Nations Environmental Programme suggests there is still hope. AI is already being used to monitor and map activities like destructive sand dredging and methane emissions. Methane is one of the most toxic greenhouse gases. So, AI is not all bad. It has enormous potential to help the planet, if we use it wisely. It is a double-edged blade. AI may be draining natural resources, but it is also one of the most powerful tools we have to combat climate change. The real question we must ask is who controls the blade.
Greenpeace
Ever since I was young, I have admired organizations that speak out about climate change. For some reason, global warming has always felt like a personal and urgent issue to me. That is where Greenpeace comes in. Let me introduce you. Greenpeace is a global network of independent campaigning organizations that use peaceful protest to expose environmental issues and push for change. Their aim is to create a green, just, and joyful future. Recently, they launched the AI Environmental Impacts of 2024 initiative. This initiative required companies to report how much energy, water, and emissions their AI systems are using. At the moment, most big tech companies gloss over these details. Without proper regulation, we are essentially letting companies grade their own exams. If history has taught us anything, whether we are talking about oil, plastic, or fast fashion, it is that industries do not usually regulate themselves. Greenpeace warns that we are at a critical turning point. Either we make AI sustainable and transparent now, or we will be dealing with its consequences for decades to come.
What Can We Do?
Fortunately, we do have the power to influence how this plays out. We can support organizations like Greenpeace that advocate for transparency laws. We can pressure tech companies to run their data centres on renewable energy. We can push for recycling programs that properly manage electronic waste, rather than shipping it to distant landfills. And perhaps we can try to resist turning to AI for every little problem or question. It is tempting to treat AI like a toy, but maybe it is time to start treating it like the finite resource it actually is. AI is powerful, but it is not magical. It is made of electricity, water, and minerals, things that nature cannot provide forever.
This leads us to the most important question of all. Will we demand that AI grows responsibly, or will we allow it to expand at the cost of our future? The choice is yours. Choose wisely, and hopefully, choose sustainably.
