Just some data to put things in perspective:
https://www.iea.org/reports/energy-and-ai/energy-demand-from-ai
Despite the strong increase, data centre electricity demand growth accounts for less than 10% of global electricity demand growth between 2024 and 2030 in the Base Case. Other key drivers, such as industry output growth and electrification, the deployment of electric vehicles, and the adoption of air conditioning, lead the way. However, while the absolute growth may appear smaller, data centres, unlike electric vehicles, tend to concentrate in specific locations, making their integration into the grid potentially more challenging.
Or in other words, data centers are not only contributing to global warming but also competing with greener forms of transportation while indirectly driving up the demand for air conditioning.
Electricity demand is just one part
https://www.lincolninst.edu/publications/land-lines-magazine/articles/land-water-impacts-data-centers/
AI data centers consume massive amounts of freshwater for cooling, with estimated usage of roughly a bottle to a few spoonfuls per 10-50 queries. Large facilities can consume 5 million gallons daily, and U.S. data center water usage is expected to reach 68 billion gallons by 2028, a 300% increase in five years, posing risks to local water supplies.
And yes I realize the irony of using an AI generated synopsis, contributing to the problem.
Killing the planet some more:
Google Search AI (AI Overviews) significantly increases environmental impact compared to traditional searches, with AI queries estimated to consume roughly 10x more energy and water due to intensive server processing and cooling needs. While a single AI query is low-impact (roughly Wh, or 5 drops of water), its widespread adoption contributes heavily to rising data center carbon emissions, causing Google's total greenhouse gas emissions to rise by nearly 50% since 2019
https://www.npr.org/2024/07/12/g-s1-9545/ai-brings-soaring-emissions-for-google-and-microsoft-a-major-contributor-to-climate-change
There are some supposedly eco friendly search engines like Ecosia, however you're really just using Bing while add revenues are used to offset carbon by planting trees. Which tbh is mostly a scam.
But instead of using google directly you can use https://www.searchfortrees.com/ and 60% of add revenue will go to scamming trees, err planting trees. They're at 661 trees already... Virtue signalling at best :/
Anyway just browsing your phone keeps AI busy feeding and analyzing you every second you are online.
Play offline games if you want to do better for the planet ;)
(And in VR, uses less energy than a TV :p)
