# Google comparte sus recibos sobre el consumo de energía de la IA y desmiente un mito importante

**URL:** <https://www.yodev.dev/t/google-shares-its-receipts-on-ai-energy-consumption-and-busts-a-major-myth/332>\
**Category:** AI Dev Tools — General\
**Tags:** ai-data-sci\
**Created:** [25 Agosto, 2025 19:10 UTC](https://www.yodev.dev/t/google-shares-its-receipts-on-ai-energy-consumption-and-busts-a-major-myth/332 "2025-08-25T19:10:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Grego](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/www.yodev.dev/grego/32/649_2.png) [@Grego](https://www.yodev.dev/u/Grego)\
**Post date:** [25 Agosto, 2025 19:10 UTC](https://www.yodev.dev/t/google-shares-its-receipts-on-ai-energy-consumption-and-busts-a-major-myth/332/1 "2025-08-25T19:10:59Z")

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##### **FROM THE FRONTIER**

## Google shares its receipts on AI energy consumption — and busts a major myth

 ![\ 630xauto](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/uploads/inovacon/original/1X/16df327d443c8396d8061bd2eb0ecc3335c63ce3.jpeg)

**Here’s something interesting to think about.** For all the chatter around AI’s environmental footprint, how much energy do you think a single text prompt uses? Hint: the number probably isn’t as big as some are claiming.

[Efforts](https://link.mail.beehiiv.com/ss/c/u001.QR8PDET7GVRZS9oWC_jpgHzDTPFb9qvMx4bbCpk16vS66NZexMnIaWcReo-EFz2g-Vzqh9OVpOEAb_62t3FZUayZloM75j8z7SocKaeZCGRSVkBJ4t66ljX82pM6QzzbSe2tJOYEq0CtpvPsXvNuWB847amX2_TjOHbORxUu_JGO68G9NBWHv27rTp4hvss5edP4UGlCzqEcgagXmYP7JOik_Dy2jcaL4yqQsx-otcBumeiiskWi3hLNJIMfaADzH9SEFpL7m5LLBwNRStSigFZyt4MJmKVd9MpTgkY3lSDC8B7giXRI7V8NT1vDRVm_/4jc/8p1HUupaQf60ULGtkhhv9A/h11/h001.tmfBMT2QKbdJgTBM6iUX5doPSMHauSz7MUPEEp4ei9M) to understand AI’s energy footprint have largely been stonewalled, mostly due to a lack of transparency from major tech companies. Now, Google has finally pulled back the curtain with a [detailed report](https://link.mail.beehiiv.com/ss/c/u001.eAC7AlRM5Xq42mX9yhoVPiS6rxbGIm_VfxKTAHUzGMF_2vhPJnFAxWiaYQwXH9lToRSovPoSDVf89ouV_kHAryTNcpEVDox6jDlXA-2bW8e0vn6WWtJ9FeJi5FOOFtnfvg8dgZgt_RIimT9iyQZN3dIOcQDI2zRv09CCrB1smvM9vWqAAVWtwW7tCnrSpNKdeHf_cvZgU19UW5yEYOeCycF5IIBdFG052Wq5p9bIIE2lm_76uREr9pG7ZoRfdA1szA_jFlDmEQC-T733q6xpPrUC3RALPBcmQT_-vMGRKt6Yo45sapNutkViBhHmOs2f/4jc/8p1HUupaQf60ULGtkhhv9A/h12/h001.9h0FMUeN_AtJzsgBMwa9pNx7UVyEy2LvEe5-fOeqhxk) on just how much energy its Gemini models consume.

**Here’s what it found:** A typical text query burns through about 0.24 watt-hours of electricity — about as much as running a microwave for one second. Each text prompt also uses about five drops of water and pumps out 0.03 grams of carbon dioxide — figures that are “substantially lower” than many public estimates, says the company.

**What makes this study unique is its “full stack” approach.** Unlike other studies that zero in on the AI models themselves, Google accounts for everything — from the chips running the AI to the cooling systems keeping data centers operational. It’s the most [transparent estimate](https://link.mail.beehiiv.com/ss/c/u001.ZjfK3To3aUCywjwu8AcLIp-6ojP-UmSLZMkVS8YaGUmbv-7RauihkpxSktOt3ObPkSIDE34R6jiPbJ_OlKxIXk0LUBLeis7oD0qOA_TniPiTcZCbfCNvDss4Q0a5qTjarTzlk8dVOUTLiBWzlG9xLrJkgOGQ4S2ZAQTCHi-tEMAgPhXoKHptKx8y_mxMf8BwGyocjw4tR5VW7x4jrQI_Op2mrcsfHJgISkoKH1Zk0ZnrfWmlsJbB1f_lwe-ZY75xZjFnPIqgrusTWXzDEDywuxg1FxWtqfjMdoj6iQqEnqN2TwecoPQbu45PT4be9oz70RwfVEjqwvzlDVEVp0hCQ3lWk6t1hTV6GUsEFBpLnuE/4jc/8p1HUupaQf60ULGtkhhv9A/h13/h001.fm2DWcvjK3uotdDmdXQMhN7a3lvdZ_JDiiFqD0qXAb8) yet from a Big Tech company with a popular AI product.

**There are some important caveats, though.** Google’s figure only represents the energy required for a single prompt, not the total energy that went into training the underlying AI model (which can be a lot). Some queries, like generating images and videos, can also use a lot more power. While Google’s transparency and efficiency gains are a welcome step forward, the industry still has some way to go if it’s to keep up with AI’s increasing energy demands.

_via: Superhuman_