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In Google, that can mean adding “-ai” to a search or clicking the “Web” tab.
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The environmental impact of artificial intelligence can be easy to overlook because it happens behind the scenes, but experts say those instant responses come with meaningful electricity and water demands. 
For people who want to shrink their footprint, one straightforward step may be skipping AI for routine tasks that did not need it to begin with.
The Associated Press reported that every interaction with AI tools increases electricity and water use associated with the data centers that run them. That includes the kinds of simple chatbot requests many people now make for recipes, shopping lists, basic math, directions, and store hours.
A new United Nations University report found that data centers worldwide consumed 448 trillion watt-hours of electricity last year — more than all but 10 countries — and that number is expected to more than double within four years. 
Water scientist Kaveh Madani, who leads the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health in Canada, told the AP that by 2030, the electricity used by data centers alone would require close to 2.5 trillion gallons of water.
Madani said that getting an AI text response is like running an efficient bulb for about two and a half minutes, and that is happening about 2.5 billion times daily on ChatGPT alone.
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Avoiding those systems is also getting harder, since generative AI is being folded into the default results of search engines and other everyday digital tools, often without users fully realizing it.
Sasha Luccioni, a cognitive computer scientist who co-founded the Sustainable AI Group and serves as its chief scientific officer, said many people are turning to AI for tasks that regular search, cookbooks, maps, or a calculator can already handle, according to the AP.
It can also affect your wallet. Free, familiar tools may help avoid paying for AI subscriptions or upgrades that do not meaningfully improve daily routines.
University of Michigan computer science professor Mosharaf Chowdhury said, “We have no way of knowing and getting a sense of the amount of energy,” because private AI companies disclose so little.
As the AP reported, data centers in a pair of Virginia counties near Washington consumed 2.1 billion gallons of water in 2023.
Experts say the clearest way to cut the impact is simply to rely on AI less often. 
“The cleanest form of AI use is no use,” Madani stated bluntly, according to the AP. 
Luccioni said people should skip AI for basic tasks such as calculations, directions, recipes, and shopping lists.
When AI is necessary, experts recommend keeping prompts short. Extra context requires extra computing, which in turn uses more energy and water.
Luccioni also recommended trimming AI out of everyday searching where possible. In Google, that can mean adding “-ai” to a search or clicking the “Web” tab. She also pointed to Ecosia, while DuckDuckGo and Startpage offer no-AI options.
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