AI video generation does consume more energy than static image creation, but it’s still modest compared to many everyday digital activities:
- 🔋 A five-second AI video may use around 3.4 million joules, roughly the energy of running a microwave for an hour.
- 📱 That’s 700 times more than generating a high-quality image, but still far less than streaming HD video for hours or rendering full CGI scenes.
- 🌍 Compared to traditional animation pipelines or large-scale game development, AI video tools can be more efficient for short-form content.
- 🧠 Most of the energy cost comes from training the models, not generating individual outputs. Once trained, generating a clip is relatively lightweight.
So while AI tools aren’t energy-free, their footprint for short creative bursts – like this Space Wolf – is far smaller than many assume.
Having Fun With AI