OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently revealed that the use of polite language in interactions with ChatGPT , such as saying “please” and “thank you,” incurs tangible financial and environmental costs. Responding to a question on X (formerly Twitter), Altman confirmed that these courteous expressions contribute to tens of millions of dollars in electricity costs annually.
While the comment may have been partially in jest, it spotlighted the real computational demands associated with user interactions—even those intended to reflect human politeness. The revelation also raised broader questions about how society is adapting its behavior toward artificial intelligence and the extent to which seemingly innocuous actions can have large-scale operational consequences for AI companies like OpenAI.
Sam Altman says polite ChatGPT prompts cost ‘tens of millions’ in energy
The conversation began when a user on X posed a humorous question about the energy cost of including polite phrases when interacting with ChatGPT. Altman replied that these manners were “tens of millions of dollars well spent,” underscoring that while the company values the human-like interaction style users prefer, it does come at a material cost.
Altman’s reply served not just as a casual remark but also as a window into the broader costs associated with natural language processing at scale. The more complex and verbose the input, the greater the processing load on AI servers. This processing, in turn, translates into energy consumption that scales with user behavior.
Why 67% of Americans say 'Please' to ChatGPT even without feelings
Despite AI systems like ChatGPT lacking emotions or consciousness, a growing number of users treat them with civility. A 2024 national survey found that 67% of Americans reported using polite language when interacting with AI tools. The motivations varied—55% stated that it “feels morally appropriate,” while another 12% admitted to doing so “just in case” AI systems eventually gain consciousness or agency.
Some users take this behavior to the extreme, addressing ChatGPT with exaggerated deference or joking about earning favor in a hypothetical AI-dominated future. This reflects a broader trend where AI is no longer perceived as just a tool but as a quasi-social entity, prompting users to interact as they would with a human conversational partner.
Why ChatGPT's polite replies come with a power price tag
From a technical standpoint, every additional word or phrase typed into ChatGPT consumes more computational resources. These systems operate using high-performance data centers that execute complex language models with each interaction. Each word increases token usage, which in turn boosts the processing load.
These systems not only require vast computing power but also produce significant heat, necessitating expensive and energy-intensive cooling systems. The more words processed, the more electricity is consumed—raising both operational costs and environmental impact.
For users on premium plans, where charges may be based on the number of tokens used, this verbosity could also slightly increase costs, though the difference per user is negligible at scale.
Politeness as a functional feature
Industry experts suggest that polite or professional prompts may contribute positively to the user experience. Microsoft design manager Kurtis Beavers noted that respectful phrasing tends to prompt clearer, more collaborative responses from generative AI systems. A Microsoft WorkLab memo echoed this sentiment, observing that AI tends to “mirror” the tone and professionalism of the user’s input.
Though AI does not possess emotions or values, its response generation mechanisms are influenced by linguistic tone. As a result, users may find that being polite leads to more productive or nuanced outputs, inadvertently making the AI interaction feel smoother and more human.
Sam Altman says ChatGPT now serves 800 million weekly users
Altman also addressed the exponential growth of ChatGPT usage during a discussion with TED curator Chris Anderson on April 11. He estimated that the platform now has nearly 800 million weekly active users, roughly 10% of the global population. This rapid growth, driven in part by viral tools like Ghibli-style image generators, has greatly amplified the service’s computational and energy demands.
With this surge in usage, OpenAI faces the challenge of scaling infrastructure while managing both financial strain and ecological sustainability. Each interaction, no matter how small, contributes incrementally to the platform’s operational footprint.
Public reaction: Humor, concern, and curiosity collide
Following Altman’s comments, social media platforms were flooded with reactions ranging from humorous takes to critical observations. Some users joked that using polite language might help them survive in a speculative AI uprising—referencing cultural touchpoints like The Matrix or Terminator. Others questioned why basic politeness couldn’t be coded to run client-side in order to reduce server-side processing loads.
Meanwhile, more serious discussions emerged around how human behavior is shaped by new technologies and how infrastructure planning must account for what might initially seem like negligible user habits.
Also read | Genshin Impact Codes | Fruit Battlegrounds Codes | Blox Fruits Codes | Peroxide Codes
While the comment may have been partially in jest, it spotlighted the real computational demands associated with user interactions—even those intended to reflect human politeness. The revelation also raised broader questions about how society is adapting its behavior toward artificial intelligence and the extent to which seemingly innocuous actions can have large-scale operational consequences for AI companies like OpenAI.
Sam Altman says polite ChatGPT prompts cost ‘tens of millions’ in energy
The conversation began when a user on X posed a humorous question about the energy cost of including polite phrases when interacting with ChatGPT. Altman replied that these manners were “tens of millions of dollars well spent,” underscoring that while the company values the human-like interaction style users prefer, it does come at a material cost.
Altman’s reply served not just as a casual remark but also as a window into the broader costs associated with natural language processing at scale. The more complex and verbose the input, the greater the processing load on AI servers. This processing, in turn, translates into energy consumption that scales with user behavior.
Why 67% of Americans say 'Please' to ChatGPT even without feelings
Despite AI systems like ChatGPT lacking emotions or consciousness, a growing number of users treat them with civility. A 2024 national survey found that 67% of Americans reported using polite language when interacting with AI tools. The motivations varied—55% stated that it “feels morally appropriate,” while another 12% admitted to doing so “just in case” AI systems eventually gain consciousness or agency.
Some users take this behavior to the extreme, addressing ChatGPT with exaggerated deference or joking about earning favor in a hypothetical AI-dominated future. This reflects a broader trend where AI is no longer perceived as just a tool but as a quasi-social entity, prompting users to interact as they would with a human conversational partner.
Why ChatGPT's polite replies come with a power price tag
From a technical standpoint, every additional word or phrase typed into ChatGPT consumes more computational resources. These systems operate using high-performance data centers that execute complex language models with each interaction. Each word increases token usage, which in turn boosts the processing load.
These systems not only require vast computing power but also produce significant heat, necessitating expensive and energy-intensive cooling systems. The more words processed, the more electricity is consumed—raising both operational costs and environmental impact.
For users on premium plans, where charges may be based on the number of tokens used, this verbosity could also slightly increase costs, though the difference per user is negligible at scale.
Politeness as a functional feature
Industry experts suggest that polite or professional prompts may contribute positively to the user experience. Microsoft design manager Kurtis Beavers noted that respectful phrasing tends to prompt clearer, more collaborative responses from generative AI systems. A Microsoft WorkLab memo echoed this sentiment, observing that AI tends to “mirror” the tone and professionalism of the user’s input.
Though AI does not possess emotions or values, its response generation mechanisms are influenced by linguistic tone. As a result, users may find that being polite leads to more productive or nuanced outputs, inadvertently making the AI interaction feel smoother and more human.
Sam Altman says ChatGPT now serves 800 million weekly users
Altman also addressed the exponential growth of ChatGPT usage during a discussion with TED curator Chris Anderson on April 11. He estimated that the platform now has nearly 800 million weekly active users, roughly 10% of the global population. This rapid growth, driven in part by viral tools like Ghibli-style image generators, has greatly amplified the service’s computational and energy demands.
With this surge in usage, OpenAI faces the challenge of scaling infrastructure while managing both financial strain and ecological sustainability. Each interaction, no matter how small, contributes incrementally to the platform’s operational footprint.
Public reaction: Humor, concern, and curiosity collide
Following Altman’s comments, social media platforms were flooded with reactions ranging from humorous takes to critical observations. Some users joked that using polite language might help them survive in a speculative AI uprising—referencing cultural touchpoints like The Matrix or Terminator. Others questioned why basic politeness couldn’t be coded to run client-side in order to reduce server-side processing loads.
Meanwhile, more serious discussions emerged around how human behavior is shaped by new technologies and how infrastructure planning must account for what might initially seem like negligible user habits.
Also read | Genshin Impact Codes | Fruit Battlegrounds Codes | Blox Fruits Codes | Peroxide Codes
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