The massive computer clusters powering artificial intelligence consume vast quantities to answer the world’s queries, but how is Big Tech redressing the balance?

Writing a 100-word email using ChatGPT (GPT-4, latest model) consumes 1 x 500ml bottle of water It uses 140Wh of energy, enough for 7 full charges of an iPhone Pro Max

  • XIIIesq@lemmy.worldEnglish
    28·
    10 hours ago

    I think it’s fair to say that pretty much every industry is more efficient and cleaner than it used to be and I don’t see why AI would be an exception to that.

    • pyre@lemmy.worldEnglish
      8·
      8 hours ago

      i think you’re not thinking about what efficiency means for corporations.

      • XIIIesq@lemmy.worldEnglish
        1·
        2 hours ago

        I think it’s exactly what I’m thinking about, unless I’m missing something specific that you’d like to put forward?

        If I own a bottled drinks company and the energy cost is 10p a bottle but a new, more efficient process is invented that would lower my energy cost to 5p a bottle, that’s going to be looking like a wise investment to make. A few pence over several thousand products adds up pretty quickly.

        I could either pocket the difference as extra profit, lower my unit price to the consumer to make my product more competitive in the market, or a bit of both.