In an age where artificial intelligence is becoming part of
everyday life, even something as simple as being polite to a chatbot can have
unexpected consequences—financial ones, to be exact.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently stirred up a surprising
conversation about the true cost of interacting with AI when he responded to a
viral post on X (formerly Twitter). The post, made by user @tomieinlove,
humorously questioned how much money OpenAI might be spending on electricity
due to users typing polite phrases like "please" and "thank
you" to ChatGPT.
Altman’s response was short but eye-opening: “Tens of
millions of dollars well spent—you never know.”
The Hidden Cost of Politeness
At first glance, it might seem like a harmless joke. After
all, how much power could a few extra words possibly use?
But when those words are multiplied by hundreds of millions
of users typing every day, they start to add up—especially when AI models like
ChatGPT are powered by massive data centers that consume a significant amount
of electricity for every interaction. Whether it's a single sentence or a
polite conversation, the servers still need to process and respond in real
time.
Altman’s comment playfully acknowledges that politeness,
while admirable, does carry a literal price tag.
Why Are People So Polite to AI?
A 2024 survey showed that 67% of Americans say
they’re polite to AI assistants like ChatGPT or Alexa. Among them, 55% said
they do it because it’s simply “the right thing to do.” Interestingly, 12%
confessed they’re being cautious—just in case the machines ever become
self-aware.
While the idea of an AI uprising is mostly science fiction,
human behavior around AI continues to reflect deep psychological patterns. As
AI becomes more lifelike in conversation, people naturally respond to it as
they would to another human. Politeness, it seems, is hardwired.
Does Politeness Improve AI?
Surprisingly, yes.
Experts in AI design say that polite interactions can
actually lead to better, more respectful responses from chatbots. Kurtis
Beavers, Microsoft’s design manager, explained that the tone of the user sets
the tone for the AI’s reply. “Using polite language helps generate respectful,
collaborative outputs,” he told Futurism.
A memo from Microsoft’s WorkLab echoed the sentiment, noting
that generative AI tends to mirror the level of professionalism, clarity, and
tone in user prompts. So, saying “please” might not just be good manners—it
could be good strategy, too.
A Growing User Base—and Growing Costs
The conversation around AI politeness comes as OpenAI
experiences a surge in global users. During an April 11 conversation with TED
curator Chris Anderson, Altman estimated that ChatGPT now has around 800
million weekly active users—roughly 10% of the world’s population.
With that kind of scale, even minor user habits can have big
effects. While typing “thank you” may only take a fraction of a second, those
fractions multiply quickly when hundreds of millions of people are doing it
every week.
Is It Worth It?
Altman’s tongue-in-cheek reply—“well spent”—suggests that,
despite the costs, politeness might be a price worth paying. In an increasingly
digital world, where human-machine interaction is becoming the norm,
maintaining a culture of respect and decency—even toward AI—could help shape
more thoughtful technology.
So, the next time you type “thanks” to ChatGPT, just
remember: your good manners may be costing a few cents in energy—but
contributing to a kinder, more human AI experience.