Do you really know?

How much CO2 does a search on ChatGPT emit?

Apr 11, 2025

Explore the surprising environmental cost of AI, especially through ChatGPT. A recent study highlights that generating a simple email can use as much energy as 14 LED bulbs for an hour. Daily ChatGPT interactions can lead to significant CO₂ emissions, with ten requests adding up to nearly a ton yearly. Discover why AI consumes so much energy and what tech companies are doing to mitigate its impact. Can we make AI sustainable? Tune in to find out!

04:47

AI Summary

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

The energy cost of generating a 100-word AI email mirrors that of keeping 14 LED bulbs on for an hour.

Tech companies are beginning to adopt sustainable practices, like investing in clean energy solutions, to mitigate AI's environmental impact.

Deep dives

The Environmental Impact of AI Usage

Artificial Intelligence (AI) significantly impacts the environment, particularly concerning energy and water consumption. A study revealed that generating a simple 100-word AI email can consume as much energy as keeping 14 LED bulbs on for an hour and uses roughly a bottle of water. When scaled to regular usage, such as 10% of Americans using ChatGPT weekly for similar tasks, this could lead to the consumption of approximately 435 million liters of water annually and the energy equivalent required to power Washington DC for 20 days. Furthermore, the CO2 emissions from using AI tools can accumulate dramatically, with a single request to ChatGPT emitting between 2.5 to 5 grams of CO2, which, over a year of frequent use, could total nearly a ton of CO2.

The Environmental Impact of AI: CO2 Emissions from ChatGPT Searches

4min

AI is everywhere—from helping us write emails to planning our meals. But while it may feel invisible, it comes with a real environmental cost. According to a 2024 Ifop-Talan survey, 70% of young adults use AI every day—without realizing how much energy and water it consumes.

A 2024 study by researcher Shaolei Ren found that generating a short 100-word email with AI uses the same amount of energy as keeping 14 LED bulbs on for an hour—and nearly a bottle of water. Multiply that across millions of users, and the environmental footprint becomes significant. A single ChatGPT request emits between 2.5 and 5 grams of CO₂, and just 10 daily exchanges over a year could add up to nearly one ton.

Why does AI consume so much energy? What are tech companies doing to reduce its environmental impact? And can AI ever be truly sustainable?

In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

To listen to the latest episodes, you can click here:

Which words has Donald Trump banned?

Is looking older a bad thing?

Can naps keep the brain healthy?

A Bababam Originals podcast written and realised by Amber Minogue

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices