Prompting Curiosity

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

07 Aug 2025

Audio

Description

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. Chapters (00:00:00) - ChatGPT Curious: The Files in the Computer(00:00:55) - ChatGPT & the Environment(00:04:12) - Sam Altman's Cheat Code for ChatGPT(00:05:29) - How a Google Search Uses 10 Times More Energy than a Standard Search(00:14:05) - ChatGPT Uses 3 Watt Hours of Energy(00:20:57) - Netflix's 150 Million Daily Users(00:21:39) - The Impact of Inference on the Environment(00:26:25) - Energy and Water Footprint(00:30:21) - How Much Water Does ChatGPT Actually Use?(00:36:46) - How AI Could Use More Water Than Us!(00:42:50) - The Biggest Dial Mover(00:44:01) - Carbon and Energy(00:46:30) - Searching for Literature in the Dark(00:49:44) - Don't Waste Your Energy on ChatGPT(00:53:01) - A Short Episodes on the Environment(00:54:14) - How I Use ChatGPT(00:56:27) - ChatGPT's Impact on the Environment

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13:00H | 21 DIC 2025 | Fin de Semana

01 Jan 1970

Fin de Semana

10:00H | 21 DIC 2025 | Fin de Semana

01 Jan 1970

Fin de Semana

12:00H | 20 DIC 2025 | Fin de Semana

01 Jan 1970

Fin de Semana

2ª PARTE | 06 ENE 2026 | EL PARTIDAZO DE COPE

01 Jan 1970

El Partidazo de COPE

3ª PARTE | 22 ENE 2026 | EL PARTIDAZO DE COPE

01 Jan 1970

El Partidazo de COPE

3ª PARTE | 04 MAR 2026 | EL PARTIDAZO DE COPE

01 Jan 1970

El Partidazo de COPE

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Prompting Curiosity

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

This episode hasn't been transcribed yet

Other recent transcribed episodes

13:00H | 21 DIC 2025 | Fin de Semana

10:00H | 21 DIC 2025 | Fin de Semana

12:00H | 20 DIC 2025 | Fin de Semana

2ª PARTE | 06 ENE 2026 | EL PARTIDAZO DE COPE

3ª PARTE | 22 ENE 2026 | EL PARTIDAZO DE COPE

3ª PARTE | 04 MAR 2026 | EL PARTIDAZO DE COPE

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