Researchers at TRG Datacenters today released a report on the energy usage of various AI activities compared to other human activities. And watching videos is the worst.
Streaming Netflix or YouTube for one hour uses 0.12 kilowatt-hours of electricity and 42 grams of CO2. Convert kilowatt hours to watt hours for easy comparison and multiply by 1,000. This results in 120 watt hours of video streaming.
Creating a 6-10 second video clip using an AI video generator consumes 50 watt-hours of power and emits 18 grams of CO2.
A one-hour Zoom call uses 49 watt-hours of power and emits 17 grams of CO2.
Sending a short email without attachments uses 13 watt-hours of electricity and emits 4.7 grams of CO2.
Creating one AI image consumes 3 watt-hours of power and emits 1 gram of CO2.
Asking an AI chatbot a single question using voice consumes half a watt-hour of electricity and emits 0.2 grams of CO2.
A single Google search uses one-third of a watt-hour of electricity and emits 0.1 grams of CO2.
Asking an AI chatbot a single question via text consumes one-third of a watt-hour of electricity and emits 0.1 grams of CO2. This is the same as one Google search.
Unless you’re talking to a Gemini, they’re more efficient. One text prompt consumes 0.12 watt-hours of power and emits 0.04 grams of CO2.
According to Silicon Valley Power, five minutes of microwave usage when you step away from the screen to make a snack uses 120 watt-hours of power.
Maybe you want to leave home. According to the EPA, if you own a gasoline-powered car, each mile of your drive will emit 400 grams of CO2. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, switching to a hybrid vehicle produces only 55% less CO2 emissions, and switching to an electric vehicle produces 20% less carbon dioxide emissions than a gas-powered vehicle.
In other good news this year, U.S. solar power production has increased 36% since late 2024, according to the Energy Information Administration. This additional power offset 80% of the 2.1% increase in total U.S. energy demand.
Globally, the situation is even better. Despite some political turmoil, solar power increased by 31% in the first three months of 2025, the largest nine-month increase on record. Wind and nuclear power also increased, but fossil fuel power generation actually fell slightly.
In fact, clean electricity production has increased faster than demand this year, according to research from global energy think tank Ember.
Does this mean that AI data centers can consume this much power? Well, you can do better. There are also impacts on water supplies and other issues.
But even if AI only leads to modest productivity gains, the potential benefits of AI are quite dramatic.
The bottom line? If you want to offset your use of AI or video viewing, try cutting back on trips to the supermarket, making fewer Amazon deliveries, or stepping away from technology and taking a walk outside.
The last industrial revolution doubled human lifespans, and AI appears to be aiming to do the same as it accelerates stem cell research, drug discovery, and cancer treatments. Additionally, a daily walking habit can extend your lifespan by up to 11 years, meaning you may live long enough to experience these benefits.
