ChatGPT consumes energy from a country: the hidden cost behind 1.17 trillion queries per year

ChatGPT processes over 1.17 trillion queries per year and sustains 900 million active users weekly — numbers that put it at the same level as giants like Google and Meta. But such an operation has a significant environmental cost: a new analysis by BestBrokers reveals that the AI infrastructure already consumes energy equivalent to that of small countries, lighting a warning about the sustainability of the sector.

ChatGPT Power Consumption: Operation Size

With over 900 million users per week, ChatGPT has become one of the most used AI interfaces on the planet. Each model query requires processing in data centers filled with high-performance GPUs that operate 24 hours a day. According to BestBrokers estimates, the energy demand to maintain this volume of interactions surpasses that of many developing countries, consolidating AI as one of the new global electricity consumers.

Energy cost per visit in ChatGPT: how much is spent?

Although ChatGPT does not disclose official numbers, independent studies indicate that each query can consume between 10 and 100 times more energy than a Google search, depending on complexity. BestBrokers' analysis suggests that, on an aggregate scale, ChatGPT's annual expenditure is close to domestic consumption in countries such as Slovenia or Uruguay. This energy cost raises urgent questions about efficiency and renewable sources in the technology sector.

Impact of AI energy consumption in Brazil

Brazil, which begins to integrate AI tools into sectors such as health, education and finance, needs to follow this debate closely. With the popularization of assistants such as ChatGPT and the arrival of models such as Claude 3.5 Sonnet, local processing demand should also grow. Brazilian companies that adopt large-scale AI will have to consider the impact on the energy account and the need for more efficient or clean data centers.

The complete analysis of BestBrokers, published in the Digital Journal, details how the global AI boom is pressing electrical networks and encouraging investments in green infrastructure.

ChatGPT Power Consumption FAQs

How many queries does ChatGPT process per year?

Over 1.17 trillion annual queries, with 900 million active users per week, according to BestBrokers data.

What is the estimated energy consumption of ChatGPT?

The analysis indicates that the ChatGPT operation consumes energy comparable to that of small countries, although exact values depend on variables such as type of GPU and efficiency of data centers.

How to reduce the environmental impact of AI?

Solutions include the use of renewable sources, optimization of models for lower consumption by query, and adoption of specialized low consumption hardware, such as chips designed for inference.