Sam Altman says 38,000 ChatGPT queries use 1 almond's water
OpenAI's Sam Altman just shared a wild comparison: answering about 38,000 ChatGPT questions uses the same amount of water as growing a single California almond.
He admits it's an estimate, but thinks people might be overestimating how much water AI data centers really use these days, pointing out that modern large centers can use about as much water as an office building for everyday needs such as sinks and toilets.
California lawmakers seek data center transparency
Almond farming in California is famously thirsty: one nut takes about 12-liter of water.
An average ChatGPT query used about 0.32 milliliters.
But, since actual AI water use can change depending on cooling technology and weather, lawmakers in California now want data centers to be more open about their water habits as AI keeps expanding.