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Sam Altman Defends A.I. Energy Use With Human Comparison, Sparking Debate
Altman rejects false water use claims, compares AI energy to human brain development, and advocates rapid adoption of nuclear, wind, and solar power for data centers.
- On Feb. 20 in New Delhi, OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman defended A.I.'s environmental impact, saying, `People talk about how much energy it takes to train an AI model, but it also takes a lot of energy to train a human,` and dismissed inflated water‑per‑query claims.
- Recent reports note datacenters used roughly 1.5% of global electricity in 2024, with the International Energy Agency expecting about 15% annual growth through 2030, while A.I.-related cooling reached 23.7 cubic kilometers in 2025, according to Xylem.
- Altman added that last year he claimed ChatGPT uses 0.000085 gallons of water per query, OpenAI is moving away from direct cooling, and tech giants Microsoft, Meta, Google and Amazon pledge to replenish more water than withdrawn by 2030.
- The remarks prompted criticism from figures like Matt Stoller and Sridhar Vembu, who called Altman's comparison dehumanizing, while he urged rapid expansion of nuclear, wind, and solar power.
- With energy demand rising, industry trends show A.I. power use is growing more than four times faster than overall demand, and firms pursue nuclear energy deals, including those with Oklo and Helion.
26 Articles
26 Articles
And it takes 20 years to become smart – at least according to Sam Altman.
'It takes energy to train a human too': OpenAI boss defends AI's energy use
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has downplayed concerns about AI's energy cost, arguing it takes a lot of energy to train a human too.Altman, who appeared at a Q&A session hosted by newspaper The Indian Express this week, pushed back on the comparisons between humans and artificial intelligence."One of the things that is always unfair in this comparison is that people talk about how much energy it takes to train an AI model relative to how much it takes…
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman ignites backlash over disturbing comments about human life: 'It's the entire point of existence'
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman defended how much energy artificial intelligence needs in an interview on Friday, comparing AI to humans. Altman, who was attending the India AI Impact summit this weekend, agreed that AI's energy consumption is a legitimate concern and said, "We need to move towards nuclear or wind and solar energy very quickly." However, when asked about previous AI comments by Microsoft founder Bill Gates, who noted that the human brai…
Altman: Training Humans Takes Resources, Too
"People talk about how much energy it takes to train an AI model," OpenAI boss Sam Altman said, "but it also takes a lot of energy to train a human." The OpenAI chief executive made the comment while in India for an A1 Summit when addressing the resources the industry...
Sam Altman AI Energy Comments Ignite Firestorm
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman faced sharp scrutiny after defending artificial intelligence’s environmental footprint with a controversial comparison to human development. Speaking at an AI summit in India, Altman addressed growing concerns about energy and water usage tied to advanced AI systems. His remarks, including a comparison between AI training and raising a human being, quickly drew criticism. Sam Altman made the comments during a public appeara…
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