UN warns you need to stop saying 'please' and 'thank you' to ChatGPT
Although you might already know about the environmental impact of AI tools like ChatGPT, it could still shock you how much using pleasantries like 'please' and 'thank you' increases the strain you’re putting on the climate.
It's likely something that you're simply used to doing when communicating, especially when it comes to requests or questions. Some might even be covering their backs in the event of a future robot uprising.
New reports have outlined that fleshing out your messages to ChatGPT with redundant pleasantries can up electrical output by a considerable amount. It’ll likely leave you wondering whether it's best to be a little more blunt when conversing with these AI chatbots.
UN issues warning regarding rising AI emissions
A new report from the United Nations University's Institute for Water, Environment, and Health has revealed that within the next four years, the cumulative water use of AI will equal the amount needed to sustain 1.3 billion people. This means the power demands will triple the use of over 650 million residents across three countries.
This is especially concerning in a world where not everyone has access to clean water and reliable power, and shortages are only set to continue if frightening climate predictions are to be believed.
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Those numbers specifically relate to the annual consumption of specific countries in Africa and Asia, with the power demands tripling the use of everyone in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nigeria, and water needs going beyond everyone in sub-Saharan Africa.
It's not just essential needs like water and electricity either, as AI also requires a significant amount of land to function through the necessity of data centers that only seem to be growing in size.
For example, by 2030, the UN estimates that AI's land footprint will collectively exceed around 14,500 square kilometers. This is roughly double the size of Jakarta's metropolitan area, which is home to over 32 million people.
"The report shows that AI is not only a digital technology, but also a material system with measurable environmental costs," the researchers state, and there are some simple yet effective ways that you can cut down on your own personal impact if you do choose to use these tools.
How to lower your environmental impact on ChatGPT
While avoiding AI altogether is the best thing you can do to reduce or eliminate your climate impact, getting rid of pleasantries and redundant language in your messages can make a world of difference.
As reported by the Independent, adjusting the way that ChatGPT responds to your messages is a big needle-mover, and while there's no specific setting for this despite requests from users, you can take matters into your own hands with a few simple prompts.
Selecting your user icon in the top right and then navigating to the Settings menu will give you the ability to enter custom instructions and alter how the chatbot responds to you, and this is where you'll want to input the following:
- Keep responses brief and minimal
- Limit responses to one sentence wherever possible
- Provide only essential information
- Keep a relaxed tone in responses
- Only ask additional questions in separate messages
This might not always work as well as you'd hope, but it can cut down on unnecessarily long communications, which experts indicate can reduce the power demands of your chats by up to 30 per cent.
As mentioned, you'll also want to adjust how you communicate with the chatbot, as keeping your messages concise is equally as important.
Avoiding saying 'please' and 'thank you' is a must, and only ask exactly what you want ChatGPT to provide with no unnecessary additions.