Using AI technology to care for the environment (and your wallet)
How tech can shrink your footprint, cut costs and support a healthier planet
If you hang out in the tech corners of the internet long enough, you’ll likely hear two loud camps talking past each other:
One says Artificial Intelligence (AI) is going to save the planet.
The other says AI is going to ruin it.
Here’s the uncomfortable middle: both can be true depending on how we use it. AI is here, and it has impacts on our world. Training and running AI requires massive amounts of electricity, much of it still generated from fossil fuels, and the data centers behind them consume huge volumes of water for cooling. In fact, according to recent research, data-center energy use more than doubled from 2017 to 2023, with tools like ChatGPT producing hundreds of thousands of pounds of CO2 every month.
Yet the story isn’t all bleak; AI is also being used to optimize renewable energy, improve climate modeling and even help people make greener decisions every day. The real question isn’t whether AI helps or harms the planet—it’s how will we choose to use it?
Caring for your financial health and caring for the planet go hand in hand. While technology can sometimes feel like part of the environmental challenge, it can also be part of the solution, especially when we use it thoughtfully. Here’s how modern AI technology can help you care for the planet in everyday ways and save money while you do it.
A 21st-Centery mindset: tech that shrinks, not grows, our footprint
Technology is constantly evolving, and many common tools already support more sustainable choices in daily life like digital neighborhood sharing groups and food-rescue apps that keep surplus meals out of landfills. On a global scale, we can use AI tech to transform complex systems, like power grids, to make them more efficient, reliable and eco-friendly. As environmental crises intensify worldwide, the World Economic Forum notes that “AI isn’t just a technological upgrade, it’s a catalyst capable of driving systemic change.” By enabling better and faster forecasting, optimization and coordination across sectors, AI can help unlock new pathways for sustainable growth and reducing waste.
What we can do to use AI in an eco-friendly (and cost-friendly) way
As AI becomes part of our daily lives, its environmental impact grows too. The good news? Each of us can make small choices that add up to a more sustainable future. Here are a few steps you can take to use AI in an environmentally friendly way, while also improving your financial health:
1. Be choosy about when you ask AI for help
Generative AI uses significantly more electricity than a simple web search, sometimes five times more. Before prompting an AI tool, ask yourself if a quick Google search could get you the answer just as easily. Sustainable AI use isn’t about never using it. It’s about making thoughtful choices that protect the planet, one prompt at a time.
2. Only be nice if necessary
According to a 2024 TechRadar survey, approximately 67% of U.S. AI users are polite to chatbots, mostly because it feels nice. Politeness can shape AI responses, but it comes with environmental costs. A single “you’re welcome” response takes ChatGPT up to 40 to 50 milliliters of water to generate. While using polite language when crafting your prompts can set the tone for AI’s response, avoiding responses like “thank you” can help save energy and reduce negative impacts on the environment.
3. Vote with your clicks: choose responsible AI tools
Just like shopping locally can be a vote for supporting small businesses, using AI tools from companies committed to safe and ethical development helps support a better AI ecosystem. Stay informed by following leaders in responsible AI, and keep an eye on the policies and practices of AI companies as they release new models.
4. Put AI to work saving resources—and money
AI isn’t only about convenience; it can help lower your expenses too. For example, you can:
- Find and cancel zombie subscriptions
AI-powered apps can scan your transactions and flag unused or forgotten subscriptions, often saving some people hundreds of dollars per year. - Automate small, consistent savings
Some apps use AI to analyze your spending and help move small amounts of money into savings. These micro-savings can add up without you having to plan for it. - Save on home heating and cooling costs
Smart thermostats that learn your habits and monitor local weather conditions can help reduce energy use throughout the day, lowering both your energy bills and the overall demand on power grids. - Burn less gas on every trip
Tools like Google Maps’ eco-friendly routing use AI to guide drivers to routes that reduce emissions and fuel use. Not only does this save you money in transportation costs, but Google reports that this feature prevented over 1.1 million tons of CO2 per year across the U.S and Europe since 2021.
5. Share what you learn
Many people aren’t aware of AI’s environmental footprint, or that there are ways to use the technology sustainably for the good of the planet. By teaching even one friend or family member how to use AI more responsibly, we can collectively prevent thousands of tons of CO2 emissions in the years ahead.
Why this matters to Credit Human
At Credit Human, our mission is financial health that lasts. Sustainable tech choices can save money, lower stress and strengthen communities—the same outcomes we aim for when we help members build financial health. Its why we support greener home upgrades, responsible lending options, and solutions that reduce environmental impact while helping members save over time. Caring for the planet starts with caring for people, and we’re proud to do both.
Still unsure about AI? Sometimes nothing beats a real conversation to tailor the right steps for your home, your spending plan—your life. If you want help building a plan that’s easier on your wallet and the world, stop by your closest Financial Health Center. We’re always here to help.
