Is the use of artificial intelligence (AI) moral and good for the environment? This is a hot debate, especially in Malaysia, as we are among the countries that will be severely affected by climate change. Google has finally shared its estimates of energy use, carbon emissions and water consumption when Gemini is asked questions, confirming what has long been suspected.
The median energy consumption estimate when the Gemini app is used is 0.24 Wh, emits 0.03 grams of carbon dioxide equivalent (gCO2e), and uses 0.26 milliliters (five drops of water). This is equivalent to using a TV for less than 9 seconds or using a microwave for 1 second.
At first glance, it may not seem like a lot of energy. However, in data published by Google previously, a Google Search search only requires 0.0003 kWh of power and releases 0.2 grams of carbon dioxide. In terms of energy consumption alone, a Gemini search uses 800 times the energy of a Search search but emits almost 7 times the carbon dioxide.
The caveat here is that the Search energy usage figures above are from 2009. Current energy usage may be lower (as Google’s data centers are becoming more sustainable) but it could also be higher now that they have enabled AI Overviews and AI Mode for global users since yesterday.
Google also says that compared to a year ago, Gemini’s median search energy usage has been reduced by 33 times and carbon dioxide emissions have been reduced by 44 times. The dramatic reductions are being made through improvements in software and hardware efficiency. So is using Gemini good for the environment? The answer is no, but it’s still greener than driving a car or watching TV all day.