Google reveals Gemini apps’ environmental impact

Google has released technical data about the environmental footprint of its Gemini AI apps. A median text prompt to a Gemini app uses 0.24Wh of energy, enough to power an efficient lightbulb for over a minute.

Gemini is powered by Google's TPU series processors, with 58% of the 0.24Wh used by a median text query attributed to these chips. Google's latest TPU chip offers over 30 times better energy efficiency than the first in the series.

In measuring Gemini's power usage, Google accounted for fluctuations in TPU energy consumption. A quarter of the power for a median Gemini prompt goes to TPU servers, with the rest used by cooling and power distribution systems.