How Your "Please" and "Thank You" to ChatGPT Are Costing OpenAI Millions
Mustafa Hasanovic
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In the world of artificial intelligence, every interaction with AI systems like ChatGPT carries a hidden cost—one that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently quantified in a surprising revelation. The simple act of saying "please" and "thank you" to ChatGPT is costing OpenAI tens of millions of dollars in electricity and computational resources, sparking a fascinating debate about human-AI etiquette, energy consumption, and the future of conversational AI. As AI becomes an integral part of daily life, this phenomenon raises critical questions: Why are we so polite to machines, and what does this mean for the sustainability and ethics of AI development?
In this article, we dive deep into the implications of Altman's statement, explore the motivations behind AI politeness, and examine the broader environmental and technological challenges facing the AI industry. For readers of The AI Tribune, this is more than a quirky headline—it’s a window into the complex interplay of human behavior, AI design, and the hidden costs of our digital interactions.
The Million-Dollar Manners: Altman’s Revelation
On April 15, 2025, a user on X, @tomieinlove, posted a curious question: "I wonder how much money OpenAI has lost in electricity costs from people saying 'please' and 'thank you' to their models." Altman’s response was both candid and eyebrow-raising: "Tens of millions of dollars well spent—you never know." This lighthearted yet revealing comment, made in response to a viral post, underscores a significant operational challenge for OpenAI. Polite phrases like "please" and "thank you" require ChatGPT to process additional tokens, interpret the context, and generate responses, all of which consume computational power and, by extension, electricity.
According to a Goldman Sachs report cited by Business Standard, each ChatGPT-4 query consumes approximately 2.9 watt-hours of electricity—about ten times more than a standard Google search. With OpenAI handling over one billion queries daily, the cumulative energy cost of these polite exchanges is staggering, contributing to an estimated daily energy consumption of 2.9 million kilowatt-hours. For context, that’s enough energy to power a small city for a day.
Altman’s estimate of "tens of millions of dollars" highlights the scale of this issue. As The Economic Times reported, these costs stem from the computational effort required to process polite language, which adds to the workload of OpenAI’s energy-hungry data centers. Yet, Altman’s tone suggests a pragmatic acceptance of this expense, viewing it as part of the cost of creating natural, human-like AI interactions. This raises a critical question: Is the financial and environmental toll of politeness worth it, or should users rethink how they interact with AI?
Why Are We Polite to AI?
The instinct to say "please" and "thank you" to a chatbot may seem peculiar, but it’s surprisingly common. A late 2024 survey found that 67 percent of US respondents reported being nice to their chatbots. Of those who practice courtesy, 55 percent of American AI users said they do it "because it’s the right thing to do," while 12 percent did it to appease the algorithm in case of an AI uprising. These findings, reported by Moneycontrol, reveal a blend of moral conviction and speculative caution driving human-AI etiquette.
This behavior isn’t entirely irrational. As Kurtis Beavers, Microsoft’s design manager, explained to The Times of India, using polite language "helps generate respectful, collaborative outputs" and "sets a tone for the response." AI models like ChatGPT are trained on vast datasets of human text, where politeness often correlates with clearer, more constructive communication. By framing prompts politely, users may inadvertently improve the quality of AI responses, as the model mirrors the tone and intent of the input.
However, the 12 percent who fear an "AI uprising" reflect a cultural undercurrent of unease about AI’s future. Pop culture references like The Terminator or Ex Machina have fueled speculative fears about sentient AI, leading some users to hedge their bets by treating chatbots with deference. As one X user quipped, "That’s a small price to pay to feel safe when the apocalypse comes." While experts agree that current AI systems like ChatGPT are far from conscious, these sentiments highlight the psychological complexity of human-AI interactions.
The Environmental Footprint of AI Politeness
The energy costs of polite AI interactions are part of a larger challenge: the environmental impact of generative AI. AI data centers, which power models like ChatGPT, already account for 2 percent of global electricity consumption, according to Business Standard. As AI adoption surges—ChatGPT alone boasts 800 million weekly active users—this footprint is growing rapidly.
Every word processed by ChatGPT, whether it’s "please" or a complex query, requires computational cycles in data centers equipped with power-intensive GPUs. The Jerusalem Post noted that polite phrases "require the system to interpret, process, and craft a full response," consuming electricity and computing time. For premium ChatGPT users, who are billed based on token usage, politeness could even translate to higher costs, as each extra word adds to the token count.
This energy demand has broader implications. The AI industry’s reliance on fossil fuel-powered grids in some regions raises concerns about carbon emissions. A 2023 study by the International Energy Agency estimated that data centers could double their energy consumption by 2026, driven largely by AI workloads. For OpenAI, which is grappling with infrastructure strains—Altman recently admitted that the company’s GPUs are "melting" due to demand for its Ghibli-style image generation tool—these costs are a pressing operational challenge.
Balancing Efficiency and Humanity in AI Design
Altman’s comment that the costs are "well spent" suggests that OpenAI prioritizes user experience over strict efficiency. Natural, human-like conversations are a cornerstone of ChatGPT’s appeal, distinguishing it from competitors like Google’s Gemini or xAI’s Grok. By allowing users to interact with ChatGPT as they would a human, OpenAI fosters engagement and loyalty, even if it comes at a financial and environmental cost.
However, this approach isn’t without critics. The Jerusalem Post argued that omitting polite words could be "the more responsible approach" for both the environment and OpenAI’s budget, noting that ChatGPT itself is indifferent to courtesy: "From a cold technological standpoint, I have no feelings or consciousness, so I’m not offended, not excited, and do not feel appreciated if you write 'thank you' or 'please' to me."
Some technologists propose technical solutions to mitigate these costs. One X user suggested that client-side code could handle responses to polite phrases, reducing server load: "I feel this can be solved incredibly easily with client-side code answering 'you’re welcome' lol." Others argue that AI models could be optimized to recognize and filter polite phrases without processing them fully, though this could compromise the conversational flow that users value.
The Bigger Picture: AI Etiquette and Society
The debate over AI politeness extends beyond electricity bills—it reflects how society is grappling with AI’s role in our lives. As Fortune India noted, Altman’s comments have sparked "humorous and paranoid reactions" on social media, with users joking about currying favor with AI overlords. These reactions underscore a broader cultural shift: as AI becomes ubiquitous, humans are projecting social norms onto machines, blurring the line between tool and companion.
This phenomenon also raises ethical questions about AI design. Should developers encourage politeness to foster respectful interactions, or prioritize efficiency to minimize environmental impact? Some AI architects, like Beavers, argue that polite prompts enhance collaboration, but others, including Altman, question their necessity. The answer may lie in user education: teaching people to interact with AI concisely could reduce costs without sacrificing functionality.
Moreover, the financial burden of politeness highlights the economic realities of scaling AI. OpenAI’s reported $3.5 billion in losses last year, despite its massive user base, underscores the high cost of maintaining cutting-edge AI systems. As the company explores new revenue streams, such as an X-like social platform or defense collaborations, the cost of polite interactions could influence pricing models or feature prioritization.
What Can Users Do?
For The AI Tribune readers, this revelation offers a chance to reflect on their AI habits. Here are actionable steps to balance courtesy with efficiency:
- Be Concise: Skip polite phrases when they don’t add value to your prompt. For example, instead of "Please summarize this article," try "Summarize this article."
- Understand Token Costs: If you’re a premium ChatGPT user, remember that every word counts toward your bill. Streamlined prompts can save money.
- Advocate for Sustainability: Support companies that invest in renewable energy for AI data centers to reduce the environmental impact of your interactions.
- Experiment with Tone: Test whether polite prompts yield better responses for your needs, and adjust accordingly.
Conclusion: A Polite Problem Worth Solving
Sam Altman’s admission that polite interactions with ChatGPT cost OpenAI millions is more than a quirky anecdote—it’s a wake-up call for the AI industry and its users. As AI continues to reshape society, the interplay of human behavior, technological design, and environmental impact will demand careful consideration. For now, the choice to say "please" or "thank you" remains a personal one, but its consequences ripple far beyond the keyboard.
At The AI Tribune, we invite readers to ponder: Are your polite prompts a gesture of humanity, a hedge against an uncertain future, or an unnecessary drain on resources? As AI evolves, so too must our understanding of how to interact with it responsibly.
