Jevons paradox

What is Jevons paradox?

Jevons paradox is the idea that when something becomes more efficient, we often end up using more of it instead of less.

It comes from economist William Stanley Jevons, who noticed in the 1800s that as steam engines became more efficient, coal use didn’t drop. It rose. The cheaper and easier it became to use coal, the more industries relied on it.

Examples of Jevons paradox

You can see the same pattern everywhere today:

• Fuel-efficient cars make driving cheaper, so people drive more.

• LED lighting uses less power, so we add lights everywhere.

• Efficient processors lower computing costs, so we run more servers and devices.

Each gain in efficiency reduces cost and effort, which encourages wider use.

What it means for AI

If Jevons paradox applies to AI, the same logic could play out. AI makes tasks like writing, coding, or analysis faster and cheaper. Instead of reducing work, it could increase total output and energy demand. We’ll see more data being processed, more models running, and more people using AI for everyday work.