"The Cognitive Revolution" | AI Builders, Researchers, and Live Player Analysis AI's Energy & Water Demands: Sorting Fact from Fiction with Andy Masley
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Dec 14, 2025 
Join Andy Masley, Director of Effective Altruism and a savvy analyst on AI resource use, as he busts myths surrounding AI's energy and water demands. He shares eye-opening comparisons, like how a single ChatGPT query uses about as much energy as running a microwave for one second. Masley emphasizes that AI’s footprint is smaller than many believe, highlighting that it can even reduce overall emissions. He also tackles misconceptions about water use, illustrating how much less is consumed than rumored, making a strong case for AI's potential environmental benefits.
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Chat Prompt Energy Is Tiny Compared To Grid Buildout
- A single ChatGPT query uses roughly as much energy as running a microwave for one second.
- The full 80 GW AI buildout is ~1–2% of global energy and needs ~800 square miles of solar.
Don’t Prohibit Chatbots Without Evidence
- Don’t ban chatbots over fears of personal emissions without checking the numbers.
- Allow institutions to weigh benefits against small marginal environmental costs before restricting use.
Median Prompt Emits Negligible Personal CO2
- Andy Masley estimates a median prompt emits about 0.3 grams of CO2, ~0.00001 of daily emissions.
- You'd need ~1,000 prompts a day to raise your personal footprint by ~1%.