Kilowatt-hours are hard to picture. "0.001 kWh per prompt" means nothing until you put it next to something you do every day. This guide translates AI energy use into familiar terms so you can judge the real scale for yourself.
The short version: a single AI text prompt uses far less energy than boiling a kettle. AI image and video generation cost more, but for most individual users, everyday household appliances are still the bigger draw. The energy story that matters is at the data-centre scale, where millions of queries add up.
The comparison at a glance
Estimated energy per activity, from smallest to largest. AI figures cover typical models; appliance figures are UK household averages.
| Activity | Energy (kWh) |
|---|---|
| One AI text prompt | ~0.001 |
| One AI image generation | ~0.02 |
| Charging a smartphone | ~0.012 |
| Boiling a kettle | ~0.1 |
| One AI video generation | ~0.2 |
| Washing machine cycle | ~0.8 |
| Dishwasher cycle | ~1.2 |
| Tumble dryer cycle | ~2.5 |
Kettle vs prompt
Boiling a kettle uses around 0.1 kWh. A typical AI text prompt is roughly 0.001 kWh — so a single boil is in the same ballpark as around 100 text prompts.
Phone charge vs image
Fully charging a phone uses about 0.012 kWh. Generating one AI image (~0.02 kWh) is broadly similar — a little more than topping up your phone once.
Dishwasher vs a day of AI
A dishwasher cycle (~1.2 kWh) outweighs a heavy day of mixed AI use for most individual users. Everyday appliances remain the bigger household draw.
Why the kettle comparison works
The kettle is the perfect yardstick because almost everyone in the UK owns one and knows it's a heavy user of power. When you learn that a single boil is comparable to around a hundred typical AI text prompts, the scale of individual AI use suddenly feels manageable rather than alarming.
That doesn't mean AI energy is trivial. Image and video generation cost noticeably more than text, and at population scale — billions of queries a day across global data centres — the totals become significant for the grid. The comparison is about personal perspective, not dismissing the wider infrastructure story.
The important caveats
These are illustrative estimates. Real figures vary with the model, hardware, data centre efficiency (PUE) and appliance type. AI compute also happens in data centres, so it doesn't appear directly on your home electricity bill — the comparison shows the underlying energy scale, not a domestic charge.
Run your own numbers
Want an estimate for your specific usage? These free interactive tools let you model your own AI energy use and compare it directly with UK appliances.