Sep 30, 2025
AI models consume varying amounts of energy, which impacts costs and the environment. Text-based models like ChatGPT and Gemini are generally more energy-efficient than image generators such as Dall-E and Stable Diffusion. Here's a quick breakdown:
| Model | Energy Efficiency | Cost Impact | Environmental Transparency | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | High | Moderate | Excellent | Text-based tasks |
| Gemini | Very High | Low for text | Good | Multimodal applications |
| Dall-E | Moderate | High | Good | Image generation |
| Stable Diffusion | High | Variable | Limited | Custom image creation |
| Deepseek | High | Low | Limited | Cost-sensitive text tasks |
| Flux Pro | Unknown | Unknown | Poor | Unclear applications |
Text-based models are generally more energy-efficient and affordable, while image generators require more resources. Choose based on your needs - whether it's lower costs, better energy use, or specific capabilities.
ChatGPT stands out in handling text-based tasks while using significantly less energy compared to AI systems focused on processing images.
When it comes to electricity usage, ChatGPT is impressively efficient. Each text query requires only a small amount of energy, though more complex queries may demand slightly more. This streamlined design plays a key role in keeping its energy consumption low while maintaining performance.
ChatGPT’s efficiency doesn’t stop at energy use - it’s also designed for speed. It generates responses quickly, making it ideal for handling large volumes of text-based interactions. Continuous improvements to the model ensure faster response times without sacrificing quality, further boosting its overall efficiency.
Lower energy usage translates into reduced electricity costs for organizations. For businesses managing a high number of text queries, this efficiency can lead to meaningful savings over time, making ChatGPT a cost-effective choice.
ChatGPT aligns with the tech industry’s push toward greener practices. Its low energy needs, combined with deployments in data centers powered by renewable energy, help reduce its environmental footprint.
Gemini takes the capabilities of ChatGPT a step further by handling both text and visual data, offering a more versatile system. Its energy use, however, varies depending on the complexity of the task.
For simple text-based queries, Gemini operates with relatively low energy demands. But when it comes to processing images, videos, or tasks that combine multiple data types, energy consumption rises significantly.
Gemini's all-in-one design streamlines the handling of text, images, and documents within a single system. This eliminates the need for juggling multiple tools, which can save time and resources. While complex multimodal tasks require more energy, the unified approach still offers an overall efficiency advantage.
The system's energy demands directly influence its costs. Text-only tasks are more budget-friendly, but multimodal operations - like processing videos or mixed data - can lead to higher expenses. However, the ability to consolidate multiple functions into one tool may help reduce operational costs in the long run.
Gemini's environmental impact largely depends on how and where it’s deployed. Using renewable energy sources to power the data centers running Gemini can significantly reduce its carbon footprint, making it a greener choice for businesses.
Dall-E is an AI model designed to create images from text descriptions. This process demands significantly more computational power compared to generating text, making it one of the more energy-intensive AI systems.
Training Dall-E 3 required over 500,000 kWh of electricity, resulting in more than 250 metric tons of CO₂ emissions. To put that into perspective, this is roughly equivalent to 500 transatlantic flights. On a smaller scale, generating a single image with Dall-E uses between 0.08 and 0.15 kWh, which translates to 40–75 grams of CO₂ emissions per image.
Despite its energy demands, Dall-E is far more efficient than traditional human creative processes. AI-generated images produce between 310 and 2,900 times less CO₂e per image compared to those crafted by humans.
The energy requirements for training generative AI models like Dall-E are immense. These systems consume seven to eight times more energy than standard computing workloads due to their high power density.
"What is different about generative AI is the power density it requires. Fundamentally, it is just computing, but a generative AI training cluster might consume seven or eight times more energy than a typical computing workload."
- Noman Bashir, Computing and Climate Impact Fellow at MIT Climate and Sustainability Consortium
This highlights the significant environmental and financial costs tied to Dall-E's energy consumption.
Data centers that support Dall-E operations consumed 460 terawatt-hours of electricity in 2022, a figure expected to rise to 1,050 terawatt-hours by 2026. Additionally, cooling these facilities requires about two liters of water per kilowatt-hour, which can strain local ecosystems.
"Just because this is called 'cloud computing' doesn't mean the hardware lives in the cloud. Data centers are present in our physical world, and because of their water usage they have direct and indirect implications for biodiversity."
- Noman Bashir, MIT Climate and Sustainability Consortium
Stable Diffusion is an open-source image generation model that stands out due to its transparent design. This open framework makes it easier for researchers to analyze and fine-tune its energy use, paving the way for localized optimizations. Its unique structure provides an opportunity to closely study and improve its energy performance.
Stable Diffusion is designed with energy efficiency in mind. By allowing local deployment on consumer-grade GPUs, it significantly reduces resource consumption. Its training process is engineered to make better use of electricity, potentially lowering its environmental footprint compared to some proprietary systems.
At the heart of Stable Diffusion's design is its latent diffusion technique. This method processes images in a compressed latent space, cutting down on computational demands while maintaining high-quality results. When paired with optimized hardware, this approach speeds up image generation, making it a practical choice for individuals and small businesses alike.
As an open-source model, Stable Diffusion offers organizations the flexibility to operate it on their own infrastructure. This eliminates per-image processing fees and subscription costs. By running the model locally, users also reduce bandwidth expenses, leading to noticeable savings.
Stable Diffusion supports more sustainable AI practices by reducing reliance on centralized data centers. Local processing minimizes the need for constant data transmission to remote servers, which helps lower network energy use. Additionally, its ability to run efficiently on existing hardware can extend the lifespan of computing devices, promoting more environmentally friendly AI deployments. These features underscore its potential to balance energy efficiency with sustainability in AI applications.
Deepseek has been assessed with a focus on energy efficiency. However, publicly available information does not provide detailed metrics about its energy usage, processing performance, costs, or its impact on the environment.
When it comes to energy performance, Flux Pro is a bit of a mystery. Unlike other models that provide detailed metrics, Flux Pro's lack of publicly available data leaves its position unclear.
Unlike ChatGPT or Gemini, Flux Pro doesn't share any insights into its energy usage. Without this information, it's impossible to gauge how its power consumption stacks up against these models.
There's no data connecting Flux Pro's processing speed, output quality, and energy usage. This makes it difficult to assess how efficiently it operates compared to its peers.
The absence of energy metrics also makes it hard to predict Flux Pro's operational costs. Without knowing how much energy it consumes, estimating expenses becomes a guessing game.
Flux Pro hasn't disclosed any information about its environmental efforts or sustainability measures. As a result, its impact on the planet remains uncertain.
When evaluating AI models, it's essential to weigh factors like energy consumption, costs, and environmental impact. These considerations help determine the best fit based on your priorities, whether they're budget-conscious, performance-driven, or sustainability-focused.
ChatGPT stands out for its efficiency, though high query volumes can lead to increased energy consumption. Tackling complex queries may still require substantial computational resources.
Gemini benefits from Google's advanced data centers and renewable energy initiatives, which help optimize energy consumption. Its seamless integration supports multimodal workflows, but such tasks can demand more power.
Dall-E excels in generating intricate, high-quality images while maintaining energy efficiency relative to its output. However, image creation inherently uses more energy compared to text-based tasks, especially as complexity and resolution increase.
Stable Diffusion offers flexibility through its open-source design, allowing local deployment and customization. While this reduces reliance on centralized servers, it shifts energy demands to the user's hardware. Iterative refinements for precise outputs can further raise energy use.
Deepseek delivers strong energy efficiency for text processing, keeping operational costs low. Flux Pro, on the other hand, has limited data available regarding its energy and cost efficiency.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the strengths and challenges of each model:
| Model | Energy Efficiency | Cost Impact | Environmental Reporting | Best Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | High | Moderate | Excellent | General text tasks |
| Gemini | Very High | Low | Good | Multimodal applications |
| Dall-E | Moderate | High | Good | High-quality image generation |
| Stable Diffusion | High | Variable | Limited | Customizable image creation |
| Deepseek | High | Low | Limited | Cost-sensitive text processing |
| Flux Pro | Unknown | Unknown | Poor | Uncertain applications |
Text-based models generally offer better energy efficiency and lower costs compared to image-generation models, which require more computational power and energy per task.
For organizations prioritizing sustainability, models with transparent environmental reporting and renewable energy commitments are appealing. Budget-conscious users should focus on models that balance energy demands with affordability. Meanwhile, in scenarios where performance takes precedence, higher energy consumption may be a worthwhile trade-off for superior results.
The energy demands of AI models can vary significantly, which plays a key role in making sustainable and cost-efficient choices. For instance, text-based models generally consume less energy compared to image-generation systems. However, the best choice always hinges on the specific needs of the application.
In the U.S., selecting AI models thoughtfully can help cut costs and lower environmental impact. Instead of defaulting to the most powerful models, organizations should prioritize those that openly share details about their energy usage and environmental impact.
To support these efforts, NanoGPT provides a pay-as-you-go platform that offers access to a variety of AI models tailored for different tasks. This approach allows users to pick the most suitable model for their needs, helping to minimize unnecessary energy use and waste.
Text-based AI models like ChatGPT tend to use significantly more energy compared to image-generation models like Dall-E, especially during the training phase. For instance, training ChatGPT can consume around 10 GWh of energy, while training Dall-E 3.0 typically requires only 1–2 GWh.
In terms of usage, a single ChatGPT query uses approximately 0.001–0.01 kWh of energy. On the other hand, generating an image with Dall-E consumes about the same amount of energy as fully charging a smartphone. This difference highlights how text-based models are generally more energy-intensive, largely due to their demanding training processes and frequent usage.
AI models that consume large amounts of energy can add to environmental issues like higher greenhouse gas emissions, greater water usage for cooling data centers, and the accumulation of electronic waste. These challenges make it clear that managing AI's energy needs thoughtfully is crucial.
To tackle these concerns, organizations can focus on making AI workflows more efficient, adopting models designed to use less energy, and shifting toward renewable energy options. By embracing sustainable practices - such as tracking emissions and implementing eco-conscious standards - businesses can significantly reduce the environmental impact of AI operations.
Running AI models like Stable Diffusion on your own hardware offers some clear advantages. For one, it can cut down on energy consumption by minimizing the need for data transfers and reducing reliance on massive, energy-hungry data centers. This approach not only makes processing more efficient but also leans toward being more environmentally conscious. On top of that, keeping everything local means you don’t have to stay connected to the internet constantly, which boosts privacy and gives you greater control over your data.
That said, there are a few downsides to consider. Running these models locally often demands high-performance hardware, which can come with a steep upfront cost and increased energy use. There’s also the issue of scalability - expanding your setup or accessing the latest updates can be tricky without the resources of a cloud-based system. Weighing these pros and cons is essential to determine if local deployment aligns with your goals and resources.
