ChatGPT has taken the digital world by storm, quickly becoming a preferred choice for millions seeking answers online. With over 200 million active weekly users, it’s clear that the AI chatbot, developed by OpenAI, is more than just a passing trend. But as ChatGPT continues to grow in popularity, especially among younger users, it’s sparking concerns not just from rivals like Google, but from those watching the environmental impact of this AI-driven revolution.

Google’s AI Response: A Struggle for Relevance
In a bid to counter ChatGPT’s rapid rise, Google has turbocharged its own search engine with AI capabilities, aiming to keep its spot as the go-to platform for online queries. Yet, despite these efforts, the shift is clear: people are increasingly turning to ChatGPT for quick, conversational answers rather than sifting through traditional search results. This shift marks a significant challenge for Google, whose search and advertising dominance is now under threat.
The Energy Elephant in the Room
However, ChatGPT’s ascendancy comes with a hefty price tag—one that’s paid not just in dollars, but in energy. Recent analysis from Bestbrokers reveals that ChatGPT consumes a staggering 2.9 watt-hours per query, nearly ten times the energy required for a single Google search, which uses just 0.3 watt-hours. With ChatGPT handling approximately 78 billion queries annually as of late 2023, its energy consumption is projected to soar to 227 million kilowatt-hours per year. To put this in perspective, that’s enough energy to power the entire nation of Gibraltar for a year or fully charge three million electric vehicles.
The Growing Costs of AI
This massive energy consumption translates into significant costs—nearly $30 million annually, just to keep the servers running. And this figure could be a conservative estimate. Since the study, the number of weekly active users on ChatGPT has doubled, and with the introduction of new features like audio and video processing, the chatbot’s energy demands are likely to escalate further.
While Google’s AI-enhanced search also adds to its power consumption, the sheer scale of ChatGPT’s energy usage raises questions about sustainability. As AI technologies continue to advance, the industry will need to address these hidden costs, balancing innovation with environmental responsibility. For now, as ChatGPT and Google duel for search supremacy, it’s clear that the true cost of AI goes far beyond just financials—it’s an energy-intensive race with significant implications for our digital future.
Source: Bestbrokers