EdBlogs

The Thirsty ChatGPT!

The Thirsty ChatGPT! Cultivate Responsible Prompt Engineering! Be Accountable for your Prompts and behind Water footprint!

Dear Friends and Students,

During a recent visit to a friend's home, I witnessed an interesting scenario. A 10-year-old boy was playfully engaging with ChatGPT, and his parents were thrilled to see him embrace this AI tool. While technology adoption is a positive development, I believe it's important to educate the entire family about a crucial aspect of these interactions.

In technical terms, our interactions with ChatGPT through the textbox are referred to as "prompts." In this instance, the boy asked a simple question, "How are you?" and received a response from ChatGPT: "I'm just a computer program, so I don't have feelings, but I'm here to help you with any questions or tasks you have. How can I assist you today?" This exchange was fun and entertaining, but it's essential to understand that for every 20-50 such conversations or prompts, ChatGPT consumes approximately half a liter of water.

What may surprise you is that ChatGPT's water consumption is related to the cooling of the data center machines that power the AI. In fact, Microsoft's global water usage increased by 34 percent from 2021 to 2022, reaching nearly 1.7 billion gallons (source: www.businesstoday.in).

It's not just ChatGPT; every AI-powered data center has a significant water footprint. Consider the numbers: Google Bard has about 1,00,000 daily active users, while ChatGPT boasts over 10 crore active users. Microsoft Bing Chat has an estimated 50,000 daily active users, Meta Llama 2 has around 25,000, Claude has roughly 10,000, and GitHub CoPilot has about 5,000 daily active users.

Starting with the estimated daily active users of ChatGPT and Bard, if each user generates an average of 10 prompts per day, the total number of prompts from these two engines alone would reach 130 million per day. Adding in prompts from other competitors like Microsoft Bing Chat, Meta Llama 2, Claude, and GitHub CoPilot, the daily total exceeds 135 million. To put this into perspective, 130 million prompts require a staggering 65,00,000 liters of water. Assuming an average person consumes 3 liters of water per day, this amount could sustain approximately 21,66,667 people daily.

I've been asked whether AI models like ChatGPT are sustainable. The answer is Yes/No, depending on the context. AI can be sustainable when used for vital tasks. For instance, when AI analyses medical images such as X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs to help doctors detect diseases like cancer, fractures, and neurological disorders, it greatly enhances healthcare accuracy and efficiency. 

However, we might consider delaying AI-powered meme generators, AI toys, and entertainment robots to reduce the water footprint. We can also postpone AI chatbots for casual conversations and AI virtual assistants for entertainment and convenience.

In conclusion, AI developers and users should be transparent about their products' water footprint. Users must be aware of the environmental impact of their choices. To address the water footprint of AI, developers, users, policymakers, and stakeholders must collaborate and take responsible actions.

Warm regards,

Ravi Saripalle

Note: Opinions expressed by authors are their own.
Pic credits: Pixabay

You may also like

  • mahanvitha singamsetty
    Published 17h

Sankranthi celebrated differently across various states in India.

Sankranthi, celebrated as the harvest festival in India, is observed with regional variations across states, reflecting their unique cultures and traditions. Here’s a state-wise overview:1.

  • madhavi mulaga
    Published 17h

How do different regions celebrate Sankranthi with unique activities like Bhogi, Kanuma, and Pongal?

Sankranthi is a festival celebrated in many states in many styles. For example, in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana , the first day of Pongal is celebrated as Bhogi, where people celebrate it as an account

  • bharadwaj Varma
    Published 2d

How can we celebrate Sankranthi in an eco-friendly way?

CELEBRATE SANKRANTHI IN AN ECO-FRIENDLY WAY INTRODUCTION:Sankranthi, celebrated across India, is not only a harvest festival but also a time to bring communities together to celebrate the fruits

  • Praveena
    Published 3d

How would you explain Sankranthi to someone from a different culture?

IntroductionImagine a festival where the skies come alive with colorful kites, communities gather to share delicious food, and homes are adorned with intricate designs made from rice flour. Sankranthi,

  • KARTHIK
    Published 3d

Write a review of your favorite movie that you watched on Sankranthi.

INTRODUCTION: Makar Sankranti is known by various names including Sankranthi or Peddha Panduga in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. It is observed with social festivities such as colorful decorations,

  • Swetha juttada
    Published 5d

What does Sankranthi mean to you personally?

Sankranthi:A Festival close to my heartIntroduction​​​​Sankranti, to me, is much more than just a festival, it is a time of pure joy, family bonds, and heartfelt traditions. It’s

  • K Sai Rohan
    Published 6d

What is the significance of Sankranthi, and why is it celebrated?

The Multifaceted Significance of Sankranti: A Celebration of Harvest, Sun, and CultureSankranti, celebrated across India and parts of South Asia under various regional names like Pongal, Makar

  • S210837 SINGARAPU PRAVALIKA
    Published 7d+

"Sankranthi: Celebrating the Agrarian Roots of Indian Culture"

Introduction:Sankranthi, a vibrant and widely celebrated festival in India, holds deep cultural significance. It marks the transition of the Sun into Capricorn and is associated with harvest celebrations.

  • Prajnagayatri bhogapurapu
    Published 7d+

What are the Historical origins of Sankranthi?

The Historical Origins of Sankranthi: Introduction:𝘚𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘪, also known as 𝙈𝙖𝙠𝙖𝙧𝙖 𝙎𝙖𝙣𝙠𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙝𝙞, is one of the

  • VishnuVarma
    Published 7d+

The Role of the Sun God in the Celebration of Sankranthi

Sankranthi is one of the most vibrant and significant festivals celebrated across India, marking the transition of the Sun into the zodiac sign of Capricorn (Makara Rashi). This celestial event heralds

  • Vijay ram Moka
    Published 7d+

How would you explain sankranthi to someone from a different culture?

SANKRANTHI IS AN DIFFERENT CULTURE:Sankranthi, also known as Makar Sankranti, is an Indian harvest festival celebrated in January, marking the transition of the sun into the zodiac sign Capricorn (Makara).

  • Chinmai Velega
    Published 7d+

Historical origin of sankranthi

Sankranthi is also a harvest festival, celebrated to thank nature for its bounty and to mark the start of the agricultural season. It holds spiritual significance, as it is considered an auspicious time