I think you’re overstating the compute power […]

I don’t actually think so. A100 in server chassis have a 400 or 500W TDP depending on the configuration, and even if I’m assuming 400, with 4 per watercooled 1U chassis, a 47U chassis with those would consume about 100kW with power supply efficiency and whatnot.

Running those for a day only would be 2.4GWh.

Now, I’m not assuming Amazon would own 100s of those chassis at every DC, but they probably would use at least a couple of such chassis to train their model (time is money, right?) And training them for a week with just two of those would be 35GWh, and I can only extrapolate from there.

But I don’t think that going to TWh is such an overstatement.

[…] and understating the amount of cardboard Amazon uses

That, very possibly.

I have seldom used Amazon ever, maybe 5 times tops, and I can only remember two times. Those two times, I ordered a smartphone and a bunch of electronics supplies, and I don’t remember the packaging being excessive. But I know from plenty of that they regularly overdo it. That, coupled with the insane amount of shit people order online… And yes, I believe you are right on that one.

Even so, as long as it is cardboard, or paper, and not plastic and glue, it isn’t a big ecological issue. It makes no difference to Amazon financially, cost is cost, and they only care about that, but let’s not pretend they are doing a good thing then. It is a cost effective measure for them, that ends up worsening the situation for everyone else.