Being polite to AI might seem harmless — even charming. But according to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, saying please and thank you to chatgpt, those extra “please” and “thank you” messages are costing the company tens of millions of dollars.
Yes, really.
This surprising fact has sparked attention across the internet, and here’s a simple breakdown of why this is happening — and why it matters.
🔌 Every ChatGPT Response Costs Energy
- Every time you type a message, even just “thanks,” ChatGPT processes it using complex computations.
- These processes consume large amounts of electricity.
- A single ChatGPT-4 query can use 2.9 watt-hours of electricity, which is 10x more than a Google search.
👉 Multiply that by billions of daily queries, and you get huge energy bills.
💸 “Politeness Tax”: How Manners Add Up
- Even short, polite phrases trigger the same advanced AI processing as regular queries.
- This leads to unnecessary computing power usage for phrases that don’t need deep analysis.
- Sam Altman joked on X (Twitter) that it’s “tens of millions of dollars well spent” — but the issue highlights a real cost problem.
🌍 What This Means for the Future
- As AI grows, so does its environmental impact.
- According to Goldman Sachs, AI will account for 19% of data center energy use by 2028.
- Developers may soon need to optimize AI tools to avoid waste from small-talk or polite phrasing.
🧠 Sam Altman’s Perspective
- Altman’s response to the viral question was humorous but also eye-opening.
- His quote: “Tens of millions of dollars well spent — you never know.”
- The comment created a buzz online and raised awareness about AI’s hidden costs.
📊 Stats You Should Know
- ChatGPT Queries/Day: Over 1 billion
- Energy Use Per Query: ~2.9 watt-hours
- Estimated Daily Energy Use: ~2.9 million kilowatt-hours
- Cost Driver: High-end computing and model complexity
🔮 Final Thoughts
Being polite is always good — but in the world of AI, even kindness comes with a cost.
As AI continues to grow, companies like OpenAI must find ways to balance user experience with sustainability.
So next time you say “thanks” to ChatGPT, remember: you’re helping train a model, but also burning a little extra energy.
Learn More;
- Generative AI Explained: Simple Guide to How It Works, Types & Applications (2025)
- Unlock Your Creativity with Generative AI: The Power of Generative AI
- Generative AI vs. Predictive AI: Key Differences and Latest Developments
- Generative AI Project Structure: The Ultimate Beginner-to-Pro Guide
- How to Use ChatGPT for Confidential or Sensitive Information (Protect Your Privacy)