Sam Altman compares ChatGPT water usage to almond production

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has drawn attention to the environmental impact of artificial intelligence by comparing the water usage of ChatGPT to agricultural production. During an appearance on the podcast ‘Sources’, Altman stated that approximately 38,000 ChatGPT queries consume an amount of water equivalent to the production of a single almond in California.

Altman clarified that this figure represents a ‘total water accounting’ approach, which includes the entire production process rather than just the direct water consumption within data centers. While he noted that he was citing the figure from memory and it might not be perfectly exact, he maintained that the comparison is close to reality. He used the comparison to address concerns regarding the water footprint of AI technologies.