ChatGPT Curious

Ep. 2: ChatGPT and the Environment: Energy, Water, and Carbon Emissions


Listen Later

In this episode I dig into the environmental impact of using ChatGPT: energy use, water consumption, and carbon emissions. I walk through the research, acknowledge the risk of whataboutism, and explain why comparisons to other systems matter when we're talking about true impact. Adopting a both/and approach, this episode is absolutely not about letting ChatGPT off the hook, it’s about putting things in perspective so we can take action on what will actually move the needle.

Main Topics Covered
  • Why this is episode 2 and why the topic matters
  • Ramit Sethi’s $30K vs $3-question analogy
  • The math behind ChatGPT’s energy use
  • The origin (and problems) with the “3Wh per query” stat
  • What .3Wh per query actually looks like in real-world use
  • The difference between inference and training impact
  • How ChatGPT kicked off the AI arms race
  • Where most AI energy actually goes (spoiler, it's not ChatGPT)
  • The hidden energy behind everything else we use
  • How water usage is measured across three scopes
  • ChatGPT’s water use vs typical U.S. electricity and food systems
  • Why carbon emissions highlight the need for more transparency
  • The repeating citations problem in media coverage
  • What actually makes the biggest environmental difference
  • Concerns about future energy use from agentic models
  • Why transparency from companies matters
  • This episode as a call for participatory awareness, not panic
  • Links & Resources For This Episode
    • Check out the full environmental impact resources list on my website 
    • Subscribe to the ChatGPT Curious Newsletter
    • Submit a Question
    • Visit the Website
    • Feeling curious AND generous?  Click here to support the podcast.
    • ...more
      View all episodesView all episodes
      Download on the App Store

      ChatGPT CuriousBy Dr. Shanté Cofield aka The Maestro

      • 5
      • 5
      • 5
      • 5
      • 5

      5

      20 ratings


      More shows like ChatGPT Curious

      View all
      The Knowledge Project by Shane Parrish

      The Knowledge Project

      2,688 Listeners

      Good Life Project by Jonathan Fields / Acast

      Good Life Project

      3,281 Listeners

      Earn Your Happy by Lori Harder | YAP Media

      Earn Your Happy

      2,790 Listeners

      The Mind Your Business Podcast by James Wedmore

      The Mind Your Business Podcast

      1,646 Listeners

      Maestro on the Mic by Dr. C. Shante Cofield, The Movement Maestro

      Maestro on the Mic

      261 Listeners

      The Consistency Project by EC Synkowski

      The Consistency Project

      548 Listeners

      Fit Biz U by Jill Coleman

      Fit Biz U

      91 Listeners

      Huberman Lab by Scicomm Media

      Huberman Lab

      29,178 Listeners

      We Can Do Hard Things by Treat Media and Glennon Doyle

      We Can Do Hard Things

      41,568 Listeners

      Money For Couples with Ramit Sethi by Ramit Sethi

      Money For Couples with Ramit Sethi

      3,427 Listeners

      The AI Daily Brief: Artificial Intelligence News and Analysis by Nathaniel Whittemore

      The AI Daily Brief: Artificial Intelligence News and Analysis

      607 Listeners

      What Now? with Trevor Noah by Trevor Noah

      What Now? with Trevor Noah

      4,204 Listeners

      The ChatGPT Experiment - Simplifying Chat GPT For Curious Beginners by Cary Weston

      The ChatGPT Experiment - Simplifying Chat GPT For Curious Beginners

      69 Listeners

      Prof G Markets by Vox Media Podcast Network

      Prof G Markets

      1,428 Listeners

      Up In My Business by Lex Lancaster

      Up In My Business

      21 Listeners