ChatGPT uses less than a teaspoon of water per query
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman called out claims that ChatGPT uses 17 gallons of water per query, saying they're "completely untrue" and "totally insane."
Speaking at the India AI Impact Summit in February 2026, he dismissed the gallon-per-query claims; he has previously said each ChatGPT query actually uses less than one-15th of a teaspoon of water.
Altman says there's a lot of confusion about AI's resource needs
A recent report warned that AI's water use could jump 130% by 2050.
But Altman says these numbers are way off for systems like ChatGPT, suggesting there's a lot of confusion about how much energy—and water—AI actually needs.
Altman's background and views on AI risks
Altman leads OpenAI (the company behind ChatGPT) and previously ran Y Combinator.
He's also invested in nuclear fusion startups. He has spoken publicly about the potential risks of AI.