How Much Energy Does AI Use

📘 Introduction

Artificial Intelligence is transforming our world, but this technological revolution comes with a significant energy cost. Understanding AI’s energy consumption is crucial as we work toward a more sustainable future. This guide will explain how much energy AI uses, why it’s so energy-intensive, and what solutions are being developed to make AI more environmentally friendly.

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📘 How Much Energy Does AI Actually Use?

The Scale of AI Energy Consumption AI energy usage is massive and growing rapidly:

Training Large AI Models:

• GPT-3 training: Used approximately 1,287 MWh (megawatt-hours) of electricity
• GPT-4 training: Estimated to use 2,000-5,000 MWh
• Google’s PaLM model: Used 2,400 MWh during training
• Meta’s LLaMA model: Used 1,000 MWh for training

To Put This in Perspective:

• 1 MWh = 1,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh)
• Average US household uses about 10,000 kWh per year
• GPT-3 training used enough energy to power 128 US homes for a year
• GPT-4 training could power 200-500 US homes for a year

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