The Ripples of Generative AI — What If... Water was a Currency Needed for Using GenAI?

Ripple.ai is a speculative design project that explores how real-time feedback on AI's hidden environmental costs like water and energy use can shift user behavior. Generative AI tools are widely used, yet their invisible impact remains largely unknown. By adding friction and making consumption tangible, the design encourages reflection without guilt. Using ChatGPT as a probe, I tested how transparency could provoke awareness and discussion. The goal is both to inform and to inspire a more mindful and responsible use of AI technologies.