Unveiling the Energy Footprint: Google’s AI Queries Consume 0.24 Watt-Hours Each
Google has recently made public a comprehensive technical report from a leading AI company, shedding light on the energy consumption of its Gemini AI queries. This move offers an unprecedented level of transparency into the environmental impact of AI.
The report, published on August 21, 2025, reveals that the median Gemini prompt uses up 0.24 watt-hours of electricity. This is roughly equivalent to operating a standard microwave for about one second.
Notably, the report highlights significant efficiency improvements. Gemini queries in May 2025 used 33 times less energy than in May 2024. This leap in efficiency is attributed to model optimizations and software enhancements.
Google’s report also breaks down the energy consumption of different components. AI chips account for only 58% of total energy use. The remaining 42% is consumed by supporting infrastructure, such as CPUs, memory, backup systems, and data center cooling.
According to Google’s market-based calculations, which consider clean energy purchases, each query generates 0.03 grams of carbon dioxide emissions. This transparency is a significant step, especially as the AI industry is under increasing scrutiny for its environmental footprint in the face of rapid growth.
Source: Technology Review