OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has shared new insights into the environmental footprint of using ChatGPT. According to Altman, each ChatGPT query consumes approximately 0.34 watt-hours of electricity and 0.000085 gallons of water—equivalent to a high-efficiency lightbulb running for a couple of minutes and about one-fifteenth of a teaspoon of water.
This transparency comes as part of OpenAI’s broader effort to address growing public interest in the sustainability of AI technologies. Altman made the announcement via an official post on X (formerly Twitter).
“The average query uses about what an oven consumes in just over one second, or what a lightbulb uses in a couple of minutes,” Altman explained. “It also consumes about one-fifteenth of a teaspoon of water.”
As data centers become more efficient, Altman believes that the cost of intelligence will continue to decline:
“The cost of intelligence should eventually converge to near the cost of electricity,” he noted.
Navigating the AI Revolution: Disruption, Opportunity, and a New Social Contract
Altman also spoke about the wider societal impact of AI, acknowledging the significant disruptions that lie ahead. He highlighted the difficult transition periods where entire job categories may disappear, but also emphasized the unprecedented pace of economic growth and innovation AI could unlock.
“There will be very hard parts like whole classes of jobs going away,” he wrote. “But the world will become so much richer, so quickly, that we’ll be able to seriously consider policy ideas that were once unimaginable.”
He predicted that while societies may not undergo a sudden transformation, the long-term effect will be profound:
“We probably won’t adopt a new social contract all at once, but over a few decades, the gradual changes will amount to something big.”
Human Empathy: Our Enduring Edge Over Machines
Despite AI’s rapid advancement, Altman believes humans retain a unique advantage—our innate empathy and connection to others.
“People have a long-term, important, and curious advantage over AI: we are hard-wired to care about other people and what they think and do, and we don’t care very much about machines.”
He expressed confidence in humanity’s ability to adapt, pointing to history as a guide. As with past technological revolutions, he expects society to discover new goals, desires, and capabilities.
“Expectations will go up, but so will our capabilities. We’ll build better tools, create better products, and ultimately, make more wonderful things for one another.”
ChatGPT Tops Global App Charts
Meanwhile, OpenAI’s ChatGPT app is surging in popularity. According to Nairametrics, it was the most downloaded non-gaming app worldwide in March 2025, surpassing even Instagram and TikTok.
ChatGPT saw 46 million new downloads in March alone—a 28% increase from February—marking its best month ever.
Meta’s suite of apps maintained a strong presence, with Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads, and CapCut all ranking among the global top 10.