New Study Reveals Significant Water Consumption by ChatGPT Robot

New Study Reveals Significant Water Consumption by ChatGPT Robot

A recent study has shown that generative artificial intelligence systems, such as the renowned ChatGPT robot, consume approximately half a liter (500 milliliters) of water for every 20 to 50 questions posed by users.

Researcher Shauli Reen from the University of California stated in a research paper that while this quantity may not seem significant, with the global use of ChatGPT and other generative artificial intelligence systems, water consumption becomes substantial.

Reen explained in statements to the Associated Press that the growth in water consumption, as reported in Microsoft's 2022 Environmental Report, is primarily attributed to the development of artificial intelligence systems.

Microsoft is the largest contributor to OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence tools.

Microsoft has acknowledged this issue and is actively seeking ways to measure energy consumption and carbon footprint, as well as working on making artificial intelligence systems more energy-efficient, according to the Associated Press report.

In a related context, OpenAI has also admitted to the significant water consumption in its projects and has pledged to address the issue.

It's worth noting that ChatGPT relies on Microsoft servers, which, in turn, require fresh water for cooling and maintaining an appropriate operating temperature efficiently.

Reen added that it is likely that water consumption in artificial intelligence system servers will decrease over time, emphasizing the importance of raising awareness of the issue to take corrective actions.

This revelation comes at a time when ChatGPT has seen a decline in the number of users for the third consecutive month, according to recent reports.

Previous reports indicated that Google's data centers in the United States alone consumed approximately 12.7 billion liters of fresh water in 2021 to maintain server cooling, at a time when many regions around the world are facing drought and water scarcity.