How much electricity do AI image generators consume?

Artificial intelligence consumes vast amounts of energy, with its energy use exceeding that of a traditional search engine by about 30 times, according to computer scientist and researcher Sasha Luccioni, who is raising awareness about the environmental impacts of this technology.

Luccioni, named one of the most influential people in the world for 2024 by Time magazine, is studying the emissions produced by generative AI programs. In an interview with Agence France-Presse (AFP) at the "All In" AI conference in Montreal, she described these programs as consuming large amounts of energy compared to traditional search processes.

These models require massive computing power to train on billions of data points, necessitating the use of powerful servers and enormous energy consumption—not only for training but also for responding to user requests. She explained that these programs don’t just retrieve information but generate new data, further increasing energy use.

Luccioni noted that generating a high-resolution image with AI requires energy equivalent to that used to fully charge a smartphone battery.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), AI technologies and cryptocurrencies consumed around 460 terawatt-hours of electricity in 2022, representing 2 percent of global electricity production.

Despite commitments from major tech companies to achieve carbon neutrality, the use of AI has led to a noticeable increase in greenhouse gas emissions. Luccioni emphasized the need for greater transparency and efforts to mitigate these environmental impacts.