New Zealand`s Zoe Pedersen has won gold with a whirlwind finish in the 50m butterfly final. Read...

How badly does AI harm the environment? We now have some answers to that question, as both Google and Mistral have published their own self-assessments of the environmental impact of an AI query. In July, Mistral, which publishes its own AI models, published a self-evaluation of the environmental impact of training and querying its model in terms of the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) produced, the amount of water consumed, and the amount of material consumed. Google took a slightly different approach, publishing the amount of power and water a Gemini query consumes, as well as how much CO2 it produces. Of course, there are caveats: Each report was self-generated, and not performed by an outside auditor. Also, training a model consumes vastly more resources than inferencing, or the day-to-day tasks users assign a chatbot each time they query it. Still, the reports provide some context for how much AI taxes the environment, even though they exclude the effects of AI training and inferencing by OpenAI and other competitors. On Thursday, Google said its estimate for the resources consumed by a “median” Gemini query consumes 0.24Wh of energy and 0.26 milliliters (five drops) of water, and generates the equivalent of 0.03 grams of carbon dioxide — the equivalent of 9 seconds of watching TV. Mistral’s report slightly differed: For a “Le Chat” response generating a page of text (400 tokens), Mistral consumes 50 milliliters of water, produces the equivalent of 1.14 grams of carbon dioxide, and consumes the equivalent of 0.2 milligrams of non-renewable resources. Google said “comparative models” typically are a bit more lenient, and only look at the impacts of active TPU and GPU consumption. Put this way, the median Gemini text prompt uses 0.10Wh of energy, consumes 0.12ml of water, and emits the equivalent of 0.02 grams of carbon dioxide. Google did not release any assessments of the impact of training its Gemini models. Mistral did: In January 2025, training its Large 2 model produced the equivalent of 20.4 kilotons of carbon dioxide, consumed 281,000 cubic meters of water, and consumed 650 kilograms of resources. That’s about 112 Olympic-sized swimming pools of water consumption. Using the EPA’s estimate that an average car produces 4.6 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually, that works out to the annual CO2 production of 4,435 cars, too. The environmental impact assessments assume that energy is produced via means that actually produce carbon dioxide, such as coal. “Clean” energy, like solar, lowers that value. Likewise, the amount of water “consumed” typically assumes the use of evaporative cooling, where heat is transferred from the chip or server (possibly being cooled by water as well) to what’s known as an evaporative cooler. The evaporative cooler transfers heat efficiently, in the same manner as your body cools itself after a workout. As you sweat, the moisture evaporates, an endothermic reaction that pulls heat from your body. An evaporative cooler performs the same function, wicking heat from a server farm but also evaporating that water back into the atmosphere. Mistral’s environmental impact assessment includes a footnote noting the differences in electricity France and the United States consume. Google said that it uses a holistic approach toward managing energy, such as more efficient models, optimized inferencing though models like Flash-Lite, custom-built TPUs, efficient data centers, and efficient idling of CPUs that aren’t being used. Clean energy generation — such as a planned nuclear reactor — can help lower the impact numbers, too. “Today, as AI becomes increasingly integrated into every layer of our economy, it is crucial for developers, policymakers, enterprises, governments, and citizens to better understand the environmental footprint of this transformative technology,” Mistral’s own report adds. “At Mistral AI, we believe that we share a collective responsibility with each actor of the value chain to address and mitigate the environmental impacts of our innovations.” How much water and electricity does ChatGPT consume? The reports from Mistral and Google haven’t been duplicated by other companies. EpochAI estimates that the average GPT-4o query on ChatGPT consumes about 0.3Wh of energy, based upon its estimates of the types of servers OpenAI uses. However, the amount of resources AI consumes can vary considerably, and even AI energy scores are rudimentary at best. “In reality, the type and size of the model, the type of output you’re generating, and countless variables beyond your control—like which energy grid is connected to the data center your request is sent to and what time of day it’s processed—can make one query thousands of times more energy-intensive and emissions-producing than another,” an MIT Technology Review study found. Its estimates of 15 queries a day plus 10 images plus three 5-second videos would consume 2.9kWh of electricity, it found. Still, Mistral’s study authors note that its own estimates point the way toward a “scoring system” where buyers and users could use these studies as a way to choose AI models with the least environmental impact. It also called upon other AI model makers to follow its lead. Whether AI is “bad” for the environment is still up for discussion, but the reports from Google and Mistral provide a foundation for a more reasoned discussion. Read...

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Robotic pool cleaners have revolutionized pool care, eliminating the back-breaking routine of manual vacuuming, scrubbing, and brushing. Today’s models don’t just clean — they maintain a consistently pristine pool with minimal human effort. Technology in this space has advanced rapidly. The newest generation offers greater efficiency, longer runtimes, and pinpoint navigation for faster, more thorough results. Two standout examples are Aiper’s Scuba X1 and Surfer S2, designed to work together for a complete, floor-to-surface clean. For a limited time you can buy both great pool cleaners together as a discounted deal. Scuba X1: redefining clean Aiper Scuba X1 Special Deal Price With its double jets providing incredible 6,600 gallon-per-hour suction cleaning power, the Alper Scuba X1 boasts two powerful cleaning jets that easily lift troublesome fine sand, pebbles, and stubborn algae—beating single-jet competitors, and ensuring faster, more efficient pool cleaning. It can clean up to 2,150 square feet on a single charge. The hydrophilic fibers form a 5mm-thick structure, maximizing filtration efficiency and capturing debris your pool’s main filter might miss. Its advanced ultra-fine, multi-layer MicroMesh™ filtration reassuringly picks up not just fine particles that your pool filter might miss but debris as small as 3 microns, finer than the human eye can detect. The filter uses innovative hydrophilic fibers to form a 5mm thick multi-layer structure that brings unparalleled cleaning efficiency. Aiper A swimming pool’s waterline, where the water meets the pool’s wall, is where residue, such as body oils, sunscreen, dirt, and calcium deposits, tends to accumulate. It’s often the hardest part of a pool to clean. With 4+1 cleaning modes the Scuba X1 boasts impressive waterline precision via its WaveLine™ 2.0 technology that delivers constant contact horizontal waterline scrubbing, removing grease, algae, and buildup up to 7cm above the waterline for complete coverage—saving you back-breaking scrubbing and all without adding harsh chemicals to your pool. WavePath™  3.0 brings intelligent adaptive cleaning path navigation with the Scuba X1’s high-precision sensors: ideal for complex and irregular pool shapes. When paired with the optional underwater communication and water quality device HydroComm Pro (available at the reduced price of just $399.99, a $100 saving), the Scuba X1’s smart waterline parking saves you the effort of dragging it from the bottom of the pool by automatically parking at the waterline for the simplest retrieval at the end of the clean. The wireless charging dock ensures hassle-free charging and storage. If you’ve relied on manual cleaning or basic robot vacuums before, the Scuba X1’s advanced cleaning systems will redefine your idea of “clean.” For a limited period, the Aiper Scuba X1 is discounted from $1,499.99 to just $999.99. Surfer S2: pool surface guardian Aiper Surfer S2 Special Deal Price Aiper Alper’s innovative pool-cleaning technologies don’t stop with its premium pool-cleaning robots. For the pool surface, the energy-efficient Surfer S2 pool skimmer provides continuous 24/7 operation, with its single battery lasting over 35 hours. When battery is low, SolarSeeker™ technology automatically activates, and just 15 minutes of solar charging sends it back to work Debris leakage is avoided with the Surfer S2’s DebrisGuard™ locking the skimmer in place when it docks or reverses, meaning less filter wear and therefore a longer lifespan. The Surfer S2 is a true pool-surface guardian, boasting an ultra-fine 150-micron filter, automated edge cleaning, dual optical sensors for obstacle avoidance, and four adjustable anti-stranding bars to ensure uninterrupted performance. For a limited period, the Aiper Surfer S2 is discounted from $399.99 to just $359.99. Aiper Smart app works anywhere As you’d expect with the latest smart devices, using the Aiper app you can control and monitor the Scuba X1 and Surfer S2’s operation, cleaning schedule and battery charge from anywhere. The latest robot pool cleaners, such as Alper’s Scuba X1 and Surfer S2 don’t just free up your time compared to manual vacuuming or brushing, they save on costs, reduce strain on your pool’s filtration system, and ensure a consistently clean and inviting pool through the very latest smart technologies. Together they make a good team for cleaning your pool this summer as they’ll keep your pool’s surface, floor, waterline and wall pristine. Aiper has a limited-time deal when buying both the Scuba X1 and Surfer S2 in one bundle. Normally priced at $1,899.98, the deal means you can buy both robots for just $1,199.99. Aiper`s Scuba X1 and Surfer S2 Bundle Deal Aiper Read...

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