But the figures rely on hardware and usage assumptions that may be inaccurate.

The University of Rhode Island’s AI lab estimates that GPT-5 averages just over 18 Wh per query, so putting all of ChatGPT’s reported 2.5 billion requests a day through the model could see energy usage as high as 45 GWh.

A daily energy use of 45 GWh is enormous. A typical modern nuclear power plant produces between 1 and 1.6 GW of electricity per reactor per hour, so data centers running OpenAI’s GPT-5 at 18 Wh per query could require the power equivalent of two to three nuclear power reactors, an amount that could be enough to power a small country.

  • msage@programming.devEnglish
    1·
    2 days ago

    I consider TikTok harmful, so you are right about your last sentence.

    But my AC does not nor ever has actually consumed 4kW in an hour.

    • MangoCats@feddit.itEnglish
      1·
      13 hours ago

      The average (US suburban 2200sq ft) home’s A/C does consume 4kW while it is cycled on, and in the hotter than normal months of summer it can run continuous duty cycle for hours on end.

        • MangoCats@feddit.itEnglish
          2·
          5 hours ago

          Me, personally, we have trees and shade. So many subdivisions don’t, and they have dark colored roofs, and then homeowners do bone-headed things like adding “sun rooms” - lots of those in Houston.

          We get upset when our electric bill passes $300 for the month, but our neighbors with the 3500 sq ft? They never see it under $400.