Abstract

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is transforming educational practices worldwide, yet its widespread use conceals significant environmental costs rarely acknowledged in current Information Systems research. This study investigates students’ awareness of the environmental footprint of GenAI tools across France, the United States, and China. Drawing on Green IS theory, we collected data via a survey administered online. Results reveal low levels of awareness regarding GenAI’s energy consumption and carbon emissions, with notable cultural differences in attitudes toward sustainable AI use. While students express an interest in understanding the carbon footprint of AI queries, few are willing to alter their usage The Invisible Cost of AI-Empowered Education for ecological reasons, and ambivalence persists concerning the trade-off between AI performance and energy efficiency. The findings underscore an urgent need for universities to integrate environmental sustainability into AI-related curricula, balancing technological innovation with responsibility use of GenAI in higher education

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