As ChatGPT, Gemini, and artificial intelligence win over millions of users, their electricity and water consumption is skyrocketing

Artificial intelligence has become one of the fastest-growing technologies among consumers and businesses, but behind every model, query, and new service lies a physical infrastructure that requires increasing amounts of electricity and water. As tools such as ChatGPT and Gemini rack up millions of downloads, the expansion of data centers is bringing AI’s environmental impact to the forefront of the technology debate. A Statista report on the environmental impact of artificial intelligence reveals the scale of the challenge. In 2023, AI accounted for an estimated 4.5 gigawatts (GW) of electricity demand, equivalent to 8% of total data center electricity consumption. By 2028, demand could rise to between 14 and 18.7 GW, representing between 15% and 20% of the electricity consumed by these facilities.