I will repeat what I said in another reply below: if the cost of running these closed source AI models was as negligible as you are suggesting, then these companies would be screaming it from the rooftops to get the stink of this energy usage story off their backs. AI is all investors and hype right now, which means the industry is extra vulnerable to negative stories. By staying silent, the AI companies are allowing people like me to make wild guesses at the numbers and possibly fear-monger with misinformation. They could shut up all the naysayers by simply releasing their numbers. The fact that they are still staying silent despite all the negative press suggests that the energy usage numbers are far worse than anyone is estimating.