Today, I read the Economic Survey of 2025 (released on 31 JAN 2025), which raises serious concerns about global warming and environmental sustainability. With the rapid advancement of AI, businesses are increasing profits by reducing their dependence on human employees. However, this is not only a threat to community well-being but also poses grave risks to our climate.
ChatGPT consumes 10 times more power than Google Search for processing a single query. There was a time when Google contributed more to a healthier environment, but with the integration of AI into its search engine, the power consumption has surged beyond that of ChatGPT. The primary energy source for these operations is, of course, electricity.
Let’s understand the implications. AI-powered systems require immense computational power to process and deliver results. Google claims to be reducing its carbon footprint, but the reality is that AI-driven searches demand far more power than traditional ranking-based search engines.
Electricity is predominantly generated from coal, which accounts for approximately 40% of global electricity production. When AI systems consume more power, it increases the demand for electricity, leading to higher coal consumption. More coal burning results in greater pollution, accelerated global warming, and worsening climate change. This means that companies investing in AI are indirectly fueling climate crises.
Even if we assume that Google and ChatGPT are powered by the electricity generated by the nuclear energy, nuclear power plants rely on heavy water as a coolant, which leads to overexploitation of groundwater and surface water resources. This, in turn, creates additional environmental challenges.
On one hand, Google is rapidly laying off employees, leaving them jobless and insecure about their future. The growth of AI is eliminating jobs across industries, pushing communities into economic distress. On the other hand, the use of AI Overviews combined with conventional search algorithms significantly increases power consumption, making it expensive not just for Google, but for humanity as a whole—as climate change and global warming become inevitable threats.
The more a company invests in AI, the higher its profits. But the crucial question is: At what cost? Who is paying the price so that corporations can maximize their earnings?
Gita Gopinath, Chief Economist at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), has already warned that AI will replace nearly 60% of jobs within the next five years. As millions lose employment, poverty and malnutrition will rise, while extreme weather conditions will damage agriculture and public health. We are heading toward a future where only a handful of companies will control wealth, while the majority suffer.
The devastating wildfires in Los Angeles are a clear warning from nature that we are on the wrong path.
It is important to recognize that CEOs, shareholders, and AI advocates are also human. They, too, require clean water, fresh air, and a healthy environment to live well. What good is billions of dollars if one lacks good health? How long can anyone survive on artificial oxygen (ventilator machine) in a hospital, paying thousands of dollars per hour? Wealth is meaningless if it cannot guarantee a high quality of life.
The overdevelopment and excessive use of AI is not just an unsustainable trend - it is a threat to human survival.
Chapter 13 of the Economic Survey highlights critical environmental challenges and warns that private companies prioritize profits over community welfare. However, governments exist to protect public interests, not corporate profits. It is highly likely that governments will soon take decisive action against unchecked AI expansion. Stricter regulations on AI development and usage are expected in the near future.
If we fail to act now, the cost will be irreversible damage to our planet and society.
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