AI Uses a Lot of Energy and Water

Every time you chat with AI, faraway computers spin up to answer you. Those computers use electricity, and they need water to stay cool. It adds up!

Some examples

• A long AI chat can use as much power as charging your phone.
• Data centers use water like a big swimming pool every day.
• Picture-AI uses even more energy than text-AI.
• Asking AI 100 silly questions for fun has a real cost.

Try it!

For one day, only ask AI things you really want to know. Notice how it feels different from random asking.

Practice this safely

Try this with a low-stakes example and a trusted adult nearby. The goal is to notice how AI talks about environment, not to let it make the decision for you.

1. 1Ask AI to explain environment in plain language, then underline anything that sounds uncertain or too broad.
2. 2Give it one detail from "AI Uses a Lot of Energy and Water" and ask for two possible next steps plus one reason each step might be wrong.
3. 3Check sustainability against a trusted source, teacher, adult, expert, or original document before you use it.