AI energy consumption poses a risk, warns green hydrogen tech CEO.

• Caroline Hargrove, CTO of Ceres Power, stated on a CNBC-moderated panel that what scares her is the energy consumption when using ChatGPT.
• By 2026, the AI industry is predicted to consume at least 10 times the electricity demand it had in 2023, according to an IEA report.
• Mary de Wysocki, Cisco's chief sustainability officer, emphasized the importance of being "responsible users of AI" and using it only when it can bring benefits, rather than just for fun.

The use of artificial intelligence tools for efficiency may increase energy consumption, according to the chief technology officer of .

Caroline Hargrove expressed concern about the energy consumption of ChatGPT when used for simple queries during an "IOT: Powering the Digital Economy" panel on the new energy landscape.

Ceres Power, a clean energy technology developer, has appointed Hargrove as its CTO, with a focus on electrolysers for green hydrogen production.

A report from the International Energy Agency, published in January, revealed that a typical Google search consumes 0.3 watt-hours of electricity, while a ChatGPT request uses 2.9 watt-hours on average.

The report proposed that if this technology is integrated into 9 billion searches daily, it would necessitate almost 10 terawatt-hours of extra electricity annually.

The IEA's report predicts that by 2026, the AI industry will have grown significantly and will require at least ten times the amount of electricity it consumed in 2023.

If energy consumption is not managed properly, the perverse effect could occur, causing us to use even more energy, according to Hargrove.

Although I am a big advocate for using data to optimize everything, we should use it to reduce our consumption. However, a perverse effect can occur when a new toy becomes popular and people get behind it at an alarming rate.

'Responsible users' of AI

Mary de Wysocki, the chief sustainability officer at a technology company, emphasized the importance of being "responsible users of AI" and using it only when it can bring benefits, rather than just for fun.

Bertrand Piccard, founder and chairman of the environmental non-profit organization Solar Impulse Foundation, stated that AI is a "great tool for conserving energy" when used responsibly.

Smart electricity grids utilizing this technology will seamlessly integrate intermittent renewable energy sources with storage, distribution, and consumption, resulting in minimal energy waste.

He said, "These are the things that give me hope."

The CAAD coalition published a report in March that examined the risks of AI's energy demand during the climate crisis.

The coalition advised that regulators require technology companies to disclose the energy consumption and emissions generated by their AI systems.

CAAD advised governments to impose "clear, strong penalties" on companies that do not comply with transparency rules.