The Pros and Cons of Generative AI in Today's World.

Generative AI models, such as chatbots and image generators, have a significant carbon footprint due to their high energy consumption. The larger the model, the more energy it takes to create and deploy. However, using more efficient model architecture and processors, as well as scheduling computation for times of day when renewable energy is more available, can significantly reduce emissions. Additionally, societal pressure may encourage companies and research labs to publish the carbon footprints of their AI models, and consumers could use this information to choose a "greener" chatbot.