How Often Does Google AI Actually Generate A Response?

[ART!]

The "AI Overview will be equally wordy regardless of how much information it has found (let alone how much reliable information it has found). Basically, it's set up to make you think it's providing a lot of utility, even when it's not.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Comparing google ai queries to watching netflix is extremely misleading.

Generating a 2 hour ai movie will use more power than watching a movie, and then rewatching the ai slop will use the same power as watching the real movie.

And yall can throw around these comparisons all you want, doesnt change that the total power (and water) usage has shot up due to AI.

 

[The Firebird]

Comparing google ai queries to watching netflix is extremely misleading.

Generating a 2 hour ai movie will use more power than watching a movie, and then rewatching the ai slop will use the same power as watching the real movie.

And yall can throw around these comparisons all you want, doesnt change that the total power (and water) usage has shot up due to AI.

That's undeniably true. My point was a narrow one--the integration of AI into search isn't a massive use of resources--because that was the question being asked. Video generation, training, development, enterprise integration, &c are another story.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

That's undeniably true. My point was a narrow one--the integration of AI into search isn't a massive use of resources--because that was the question being asked. Video generation, training, development, enterprise integration, &c are another story.

Then you cannot use anything but search results as a comparison point. And google ai search uses more power than just classic google search. which is the only thing it can fairly be compared to. Apples to apples.

 

[The Firebird]

Then you cannot use anything but search results as a comparison point. And google ai search uses more power than just classic google search. which is the only thing it can fairly be compared to. Apples to apples

Doesn't make sense to me, but do that if you like

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Doesn't make sense to me, but do that if you like

It is objectively the only way to attain any kind of useful comparison. Watching netflix uses more power than most online activities, but google ai search doesnt replace netflix in someones daily activities. It replaces normal google searching. What replaces netflix is ai video generation.

And again, we can zoom out and see that total energy usage has dramatically increased as a direct result of gen ai.

 

[Umbran]

Value is in the eyes of the user...

Unfortunately, that's not entirely true.

You see, there's this society around you. No one is an island. You are not a rugged individual, separate from society. You are intimately linked to it. And there's value, or lack of value, or even detriment, to that society to consider.

I've hinted at the following but here's the full image and cites:

Yeah, but that's not really the point, as I've already noted.

Or. we can play that game. Because the graphic claims that use of generative AI "uses the least energy" - but that's actually, "Uses the least energy of our carefully cherrypicked list of activities."

But, reading a book for an hour, or playing cribbage with a friend, or staring blankly into space, all take less electrical energy than all things on that chart!

We can even do better - riding a bike that is connected to an electrical generator can produce energy, instead of consuming it! So, clearly, the bike is the superior choice! Get to it!

 

[CleverNickName]

A single data center uses more electrical power and more water than an entire city of 150,000 people (ask me how I know!) And we're building them by the dozen.

We can argue about whether or not this is good, or ethical, or even worth it...but the actual numbers are well-documented.