IS AI WORSE THAN ALMOND MILK? A CREATIVES GUIDE TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF AI
Let’s Get Real (and a Little Sassy) At House of gAi, we’re all about elevating creatives to do amazing things with AI. But that doesn’t mean we’re ignoring the real issues. Yes, AI has an environmental footprint. Yes, that matters. And no, we’re not here to sweep it under the rug. Instead, we’re diving in—with facts, comparisons, a touch of sass, and tips to help you be a more sustainable creator.
THE REAL ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES WITH AI
Before we cheerlead, let’s be honest: training massive AI models takes energy, water, and resources.
Energy: Some large AI models can consume as much energy as 300 round-trip flights from NYC to SF.
Carbon Emissions: Training GPT-3 generated around 283 metric tons of CO2.
Water Use: Cooling AI data centers during training can use hundreds of thousands of liters of water—enough to make thousands of lattes.
(Source: AI Problems Index)
ALMOND MILK VS AI GENERATION… WHO WINS THE WATER WAR?
Let’s break it down into something relatable for designers. A single 200 ml glass of almond milk requires around 74 liters of water to produce. Now let’s compare that to AI usage:
Training GPT-3: ~700,000 liters of water (once, up front)
Generating 1 AI image with Midjourney: estimated to be much lower, generally under 2 liters per image
ChatGPT brainstorming session (10 minutes): even less, around 0.5 liters depending on the number of queries and system load
So yes, AI training guzzles water, but using AI tools? It’s more like sipping, not chugging.
STREAMING, CLOUD TOOLS & AI: THE DITIAL FOOTPRINT SHOWDOWN
Let’s zoom out and compare carbon emissions. Generating a single image with Midjourney emits about 1.9 grams of CO2. By contrast, watching 30 minutes of HD Netflix emits about 1.6 kilograms (1600 grams) of CO2. And each ChatGPT query emits about 4.32 grams of CO2. If you're chatting back and forth for 15 queries, that’s about 65 grams of CO2.
In other words, using AI tools like image generation or ChatGPT is generally in the same ballpark as other digital habits—just be aware of your frequency and usage patterns.
Footnote: It may seem surprising, but ChatGPT's emissions for a multi-query brainstorming session are significantly higher than generating a few Midjourney images. This is due to the computational complexity and repeated inference of large language models, even when their outputs are just text. Small emissions add up fast when you're chatting with a supercomputer! 😮💬⚡
Did You Know? MidJourney uses more water per image (~1.6L) than ChatGPT does in a 10-minute chat (~0.5L), but ChatGPT emits significantly more CO₂ (~64.8g vs 1.9g/image). Why the mismatch?
It’s all about how the work is done:
MidJourney uses bursty GPU rendering that heats up fast = high cooling demand = more water.
ChatGPT runs on large text models that require heavy, sustained processing = more electricity = more CO₂.
TL;DR: MidJourney gets sweaty. ChatGPT gets smoky.
SUSTAINABLE AI USE FOR CREATIVES
Want to be an ethical, eco-conscious AI wizard? We got you.
Use smaller models when possible: Not every task needs a mega-brain.
Optimize your prompts: Be clear and efficient. Better prompts = less compute.
Support platforms using renewable energy: Ask the hard questions. Not all tools are created equal. Want to align your tech stack with your values? Look for platforms powered by renewable energy—like Figma (hosted on AWS), Canva (on Google Cloud), or even OpenAI’s ChatGPT (running on Microsoft Azure). Every click counts!
Be mindful of frequency: You don’t need to generate 12,000 versions of the same poster. Probably.
IT’S BIGGER THAN AI—A CALL TO CONSCIOUS CREATIVITY
Using AI mindfully is just one piece of the puzzle. From using energy-efficient design tools to advocating for greener tech infrastructure, creatives have power. Our choices shape culture and consumption.
Want to go deeper? We explore sustainable creativity, responsible AI use, and how to design with impact in the House of gAi AI Branding Masterclass. If you’re ready to use AI with purpose, join the class and learn how to create with both power and conscience.
FINAL THOUGHT: CREATE LIKE YOU GIVE A DAMN
At House of gAi, we believe creativity should be bold, inclusive, and conscious. AI is a tool—one of many. Let’s use it wisely, joyfully, and with a heck of a lot of heart. Join the Creative Futures Hub community to continue discussing AI with other creatives.