Having fun making AI images? Here's what it's costing planet
Zee Business Video Team | Updated: April 4, 2025 11:22 PM IST
When OpenAI launched its latest AI image tool, the internet went crazy—so crazy that OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, had to step in, saying, “Our GPUs are melting!” and even pleaded, “Can y’all please chill on generating images?” But what does this mean beyond overloaded servers? AI-generated images use a surprising amount of energy. Research by Hugging Face and Carnegie Mellon University shows that one AI image can consume up to 0.01149 kWh—over half the power of fully charging your smartphone (0.022 kWh)—and in extreme cases, possibly more.
