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Chamarti Sreekar
Passionate about Pos... • 1m
The Hidden Cost of AI: Is Gen AI an Environmental Disaster? AI is transforming the world, but at what cost? A shocking new report reveals that Gen AI's electricity consumption rivals that of entire countries—and it's only getting worse. The Brutal Reality: 47% of companies saw their carbon emissions spike last year. The average increase? 6%—directly linked to AI. Training a single GPT-4-sized model = powering 5,000+ US homes for a year. AI’s Water & Energy Thirst: One ChatGPT query = 10x the energy of a Google search. 20-50 queries? That’s 500ml of water—your AI assistant is literally drinking while it talks. By 2026, data centers will consume 1,000 TWh of electricity—as much as Japan’s entire energy demand. The E-Waste Nightmare: Gen AI could generate 5 MILLION metric tons of e-waste by 2030—1,000x more than in 2023. Only 12% of companies track AI’s environmental impact, and 74% blame AI providers for lack of transparency. What Companies Actually Prioritize: Performance? 77% Scalability? 74% Environmental impact? Just 20%. The Bigger Picture: We're digging up the Earth to mine rare elements for AI chips. In Virginia’s “Data Center Alley,” water use jumped 69% in just four years. AI is powerful—but if we don’t rethink its environmental impact, we might be trading convenience for catastrophe. Is it worth it?
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