Google’s AI Could Soon Use More Power Than Ireland, Study Warns
Google is one of the world’s leading technology companies, known for its innovations in artificial intelligence (AI). However, a recent study published in Joule has raised concerns about the environmental impact of Google’s AI, especially its large language models (LLMs).
LLMs are AI systems that can generate natural language texts based on a given input or prompt. They are used for various applications, such as chatbots, search engines, and text summarization. However, LLMs require a lot of data and computing power to train and run, which results in high energy consumption and carbon emissions.
The study, authored by Alex de Vries, a digital currency economist and founder of Digiconomist, estimated that Google’s AI could consume between 85–134 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity by 2027 if it fully adopts LLMs for its search business. This is equivalent to the annual energy consumption of a small country like Ireland, which consumed 29.3 TWh in 2019.
“In 2021, Google’s total electricity consumption was 18.3 TWh, with AI accounting for 10%-15% of this total. The worst-case scenario suggests Google’s AI alone could consume as much electricity as a country such as Ireland, which is a significant increase compared to its historical AI-related energy consumption,” de Vries wrote.
De Vries also pointed out that the energy consumption of LLMs is not only determined by their size and complexity, but also by their usage and frequency. He gave an example of how Google’s search engine could increase its power demand if it integrates LLMs into every query.
“For example, companies such as Alphabet’s Google could substantially increase their power demand if generative AI is integrated into every Google search,” he wrote.
The study also suggested that developers should optimize AI for energy efficiency and consider the necessity and benefits of using AI in the first place.
“It would be advisable for developers not only to focus on optimising AI, but also to critically consider the necessity of using AI in the first place, as it is unlikely that all applications will benefit from AI or that the benefits will always outweigh the costs,” de Vries wrote.
The environmental impact of artificial intelligence has been largely overlooked until now. Emma Strubell, a co-author of a previous paper on the carbon footprint of natural language processing, said that “we need to start measuring and reporting on these impacts so that we can make informed decisions about how we use this technology”.
Google’s CEO Sundar Pichai has also acknowledged the importance of responsible and sustainable AI development. In a blog post published in June 2021, he said that “we are at a tipping point where AI can have a positive impact on society, but we need to be mindful of its potential negative consequences. We need to ensure that we design AI systems that are not only intelligent but also responsible and sustainable”.
Relevant articles:
-Google’s AI could soon consume as much electricity as Ireland, study finds, New Scientist, October 11, 2023
-AI on Track to Gobble Up as Much Energy as a Country, Study Finds, Gizmodo, October 12, 2023
-AI processing could consume ‘as much electricity as Ireland’, The Register, October 11, 2023
Originally published at https://trendydigests.com on October 16, 2023.
