This is how much energy a single search query consumes on ChatGPT, reveals CEO Sam Altman

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has revealed that an average ChatGPT query uses approximately 0.34 watt-hours of electricity and 0.000085 gallons of water, or "roughly one fifteenth of a teaspoon."

In a blog post titled The Gentle Singularity, Altman compared the energy use to that of “an oven running for just over one second” or “a high-efficiency lightbulb operating for a couple of minutes.” The disclosure is the most detailed public insight so far into the environmental impact of the company’s AI systems.

The figures are significantly lower than some earlier projections. A 2023 report by The Washington Post found that generating a 100-word email using GPT-4 could use “a little more than one bottle” of water, with usage varying depending on the datacenter location.

Altman also addressed the growing scrutiny around the sustainability of AI systems, particularly as models increase in size and usage. He wrote, “The economic value creation has started a flywheel of compounding infrastructure buildout to run these increasingly powerful AI systems.”

He further suggested that as datacenter operations become more automated, “the cost of intelligence should eventually converge to near the cost of electricity.”

The release of these statistics appears to be part of OpenAI’s broader efforts to promote transparency around its infrastructure and environmental footprint, especially as policymakers and researchers increasingly raise concerns about AI's long-term energy demands. Earlier this year, some researchers predicted that AI could surpass Bitcoin mining in power consumption by the end of 2025.

Altman had previously shared that the politeness of users, such as saying “please” and “thank you” in queries, has cost the company tens of millions of dollars in electricity expenses over time.

As the environmental implications of AI continue to draw attention, disclosures like these are likely to influence both public perception and future regulation.