In the past few years, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has risen exponentially. Whether it be to help write an email, spout ideas for a speech, or even a generative TikTok filter, AI is used more and more by all ages, all over the world. Since ChatGPT’s first launch in 2022, the Pew Research Center estimates that a quarter of Americans have used the chatbot at least once. According to ChatGPT’s research organization, OpenAI, the program has roughly 200 million visitors weekly worldwide. It’s free to use, or users can pay for premium features for $20 a month. Having access to such a large and easy to use database might feel like a dream come true.
While users may not be paying to use ChatGPT or other AI programs with money, they are paying in other ways. The servers used by AI are so active that they require water powered cooling systems to continue running. According to research from the University of California, every 100 word response generated by AI takes about 100 milliliters of water, which is a little over a bottle of water. Based on the University of California’s calculations, this would mean that 1 in 10 Americans (around 16 million people) using AI once a week for a year would use 435,235,476 liters of water. That’s equal to the amount of water used by every household in Rhode Island for a day and a half. AI can also use electricity in data centers for air conditioning to cool off machines. The same number of people using AI uses up enough electricity to power every household in D.C. for 20 days.
With the rise of AI usage also calls for the continuous need to build data centers. Companies like Google, Meta and Microsoft are rapidly building new data centers to train and house AI, and a high concentration of them have appeared in Northern Virginia. Many residents living in the area claim that the centers are “loud energy hogs” and “eyesores” and have protested against the development of more data centers. Places like West Des Moines, Iowa and The Dalles, Oregon, have also seen an increase in data centers using their resources. Companies like Google and Microsoft have used up large quantities of water resources in these communities, as much as a quarter of The Dalles’ available water, according to documents released by Google. An environmental report released by Google shows that their carbon emissions have increased by 48 percent, mostly due to AI and data centers, while only replenishing 18 percent of the water used. Mara Harris, a spokesperson from Google, said that the company is working to be emission-free by 2030.
“Google has a long-standing commitment to sustainability, guided by our ambitious goals—which includes achieving net-zero emissions by 2030,” said Harris.
Since the launch of AI, students everywhere have used it at least once on and off campus. Generating essay outlines, summarizing textbook chapters, and even grammar suggestions are all examples of AI usage in academia. Some professors also use AI in their classrooms to aid students or for their courses. While AI has proven to be helpful with brainstorming ideas, it has also become a tool in which students have used to do their school work for them, which is a separate issue entirely. After conducting a short survey among Southern Miss students, most students answered that they use AI both academically and recreationally. The majority also stated that they are aware of the environmental effects of AI usage, while the minority did not.
Connor Case is a Southern Miss student majoring in political science and pre-law and shares his own experience with AI.
“I use it as a writing assistant,” said Case. “I never generate anything new. I typically use it to hit a word count or overcome writers’ block.”
USM Graduate student Ann Wallace DeRossette also shared her AI experience, along with her concerns.
“I use AI to help me with projects, get ideas, and brainstorm for different papers, and I think it is a great tool if you use it in the correct way,” she said. “But it was a little disheartening figuring out AI is bad for the environment. I don’t want to do anything that harms society. So, I will definitely be reconsidering my use of AI now that I realize the effects it has on the environment.”
Despite the concerns, many companies and organizations are researching ways to make AI more environment-friendly. Finding ways to lessen the carbon footprint of AI usage will become vital if it continues to advance and grow, especially because it is not the only contributor to carbon emissions. Companies like Google are researching ways to limit their emissions and aiming to create carbon-free energy by 2030. Spreading awareness about the potential AI effects is an easy and effective way to educate people on the technology, as well. Students and others can help by limiting their frequency of AI usage and finding alternative ways to do the things they do with ChatGPT, Claude and other programs.
