Comparison: the classic way versus AI
The usual action against its AI equivalent, side by side. Static, sourced data, an honest verdict.
ChatGPT vs Google search: energy use
Does ChatGPT (or an AI search) use more than a Google search? The “10x more” claim comes from a 2023 estimate, never measured on a real service. The math and the sources.
See the comparisonGoogle search0.3 WhAI prompt (text)0.3 WhHow much energy does an AI-generated image use?
About 9 Wh: thirty text prompts, or ninety times the cost of loading a photo that already exists. Published measurements run from 1.4 to 11.5 Wh. Working shown.
See the comparisonLoad an existing photo0.1 WhGenerate an image with AI9 WhAI-generated video vs video streaming
From 0.14 Wh to over 400 Wh per clip depending on the model, a gap close to 3,000x. The single figure usually quoted doesn't exist: model-by-model numbers, dated source.
See the comparisonWatch video (streaming)77 WhGenerate a video with AI25 WhDoes an AI prompt pollute more than an email?
0.2 g for a text prompt, 0.3 g for an average email: it is a tie. The famous 19 g per email comes from a 2011 study. Full workings, dated sources.
See the comparison1 MB email with attachment (ADEME, 2011)19 gAI text prompt (0.2 g)0.2 gAI at the office all year: what's the real footprint?
An employee using AI at the office all year long: how much electricity, water and CO₂ does that really add up to? A sourced calculation.
See the comparisonLaptop left running all year25,000 WhOne employee's AI use, a year (heavy use)3,600 WhTraining or use: where does AI's energy really go?
It's not model training that weighs heaviest over time: at Google, 60% of AI energy goes to running models day to day (inference), against 40% for training them.
See the comparisonTraining the model40 %Day-to-day use (inference)60 %Where do your prompts actually run? Inside France's data centers
How many data centers power AI in France, how much electricity do they use, and where do your prompts actually end up? A sourced look at the numbers.
See the comparisonAI's share of new data center demand, 20212 %AI's share of new data center demand, 202648 %
AI vs everyday actions
1 shower = 167,000 prompts, 1 h of Netflix = 300 prompts… Play with the orders of magnitude yourself in the game.