Google owns the whole stack from hardware to software, and are therefore well positioned to measure their energy efficiency, they say.
During the last twelve months, the carbon footprint of a median Gemini query also went down 44 times, the study finds.
The amount of energy expended on a typical prompt is equivalent to watching TV for about than nine seconds, Google claims.
— We estimate the median Gemini Apps text prompt uses 0.24 watt-hours of energy, emits 0.03 grams of carbon dioxide equivalent (gCO2e), and consumes 0.26 milliliters (or about five drops) of water, Google writes in their research paper.
As AI becomes more integrated into our lives, understanding its environmental footprint is essential. ⚡️
That’s why we’re sharing our comprehensive methodology for measuring the energy, emissions, and water impact of Gemini prompts. ↓ pic.twitter.com/ctGmHUDt44
— Google DeepMind (@GoogleDeepMind) August 22, 2025
Strong growth, less energy
While this is well and good, Gemini is also growing quickly, and electricity consumption for Google grew by 27% year-on-year, although data centre energy emissions were reduced by 12%.
Google is constantly looking for green energy alternatives for its power consumption, with some success, writes Ars Technica.
They are releasing this information and a research report on it not as a pure PR exercise, they say, but to encourage other AI labs to follow suit:
— We advocate for the widespread adoption of this or similarly comprehensive measurement frameworks to ensure that as the capabilities of AI advance, their environmental efficiency does as well, the report concludes.
Read more: Google’s announcement, the research paper, writeup by Ars Technica, while The Verge is more sceptical.