Did you know? Turning off AI overview in Google Chrome search results

[rosarugosa]

If you use Google Chrome, you might like this info:

https://www.reddit.com/r/techsupport/comments/1h9jpqs/comment/m7j9pep/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button&rdt=46299

Interestingly, it was shared by a conservationist on FB as a way to conserve water, because apparently the AI servers use massive amounts of water for cooling:
the IRWA says "AI technology uses massive amounts of water to cool equipment in data centers. One small step you can take to reduce demand is by turning off AI results in Google searches"

I cant really vouch for the water savings, but I'm glad to get rid of that AI overview in my search results. If it has conservation value too, that's just frosting on the cake.

[Rogar]

I have read that an AI search uses a lot more energy, although for a casual browser I'm not sure how significant it is. Another way to get around it is to switch browsers(?). This is what my "AI" search on energy use said. I suppose you could use the AI feature to find a browser that doesn't use it, like duckduckgo or Firefox

AI-powered searches and chatbots, like those integrated into Google and ChatGPT, consume significantly more energy than traditional web searches, with estimates suggesting AI-powered searches use 10 times more energy.

[bae]

I don't quite understand the "wasting massive amounts of water for cooling" thing.

Where does the water get "wasted" or "consumed"?

https://gpm.nasa.gov/education/sites/default/files/article_images/Water-Cycle-Art2A.png

[Rogar]

And yet the Colorado River still eventually runs dry.

[rosarugosa]

Bae: Maybe they're using potable water? I don't know; I was just happy to get rid of the AI junk at the top of my search results.