Do you say ‘Please’ to ChatGPT? Sam Altman reveals how much electricity your manners cost to OpenAI

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently confirmed that seemingly harmless social niceties like “please” and “thank you” are contributing to substantial energy expenses for the company. Responding to a user on X who wondered about the electricity cost incurred by polite language in interactions with ChatGPT, Altman replied that it amounts to “tens of millions of dollars well spent.” The remark, though light-hearted, underlined the real cost associated with each word processed by the AI system.

Altman’s comment sparked a conversation about the way users treat artificial intelligence. Despite ChatGPT lacking any form of consciousness, a growing number of people extend basic manners to it. A 2024 survey found that 67% of Americans are courteous when speaking with AI tools. Among those, 55% cited doing so because it feels morally appropriate, while 12% admitted they were hedging their bets in case of a potential AI uprising.

This trend illustrates how integrated AI has become in everyday life, with people treating machines more like conversational partners than mere tools. Some users even take politeness to an extreme, regularly addressing ChatGPT with honorifics such as “my master,” while others jokingly insist it’s a “necessary investment” should AI ever dominate the world.

Technical and Financial Implications of Polite Prompts

The use of polite language may seem trivial, but it carries computational consequences. Each additional phrase requires more processing power, increasing demand on the data centers that run ChatGPT. These high-performance systems not only require immense computing resources but also generate heat, necessitating sophisticated cooling systems—all of which drive up electricity usage.

Altman’s disclosure also has implications for premium users of the platform. Since many paid versions of ChatGPT charge based on token usage, which is influenced by word count, adding courteous phrases could slightly increase user costs.

Experts Say Politeness Has Its Merits

While the financial and environmental impact is considerable, some experts argue that polite prompts can enhance user experience. Microsoft’s design manager Kurtis Beavers noted that respectful inputs tend to encourage more collaborative and refined responses from generative AI. A memo from Microsoft WorkLab supported this, stating that AI often mirrors the professionalism and tone set by users’ queries.The suggestion is that even though AI lacks emotions, the quality of the conversation can be influenced by human behavior. Polite language may contribute to clearer, more thoughtful responses, making the interaction feel more natural and effective.

Usage Grows Alongside Energy Demands

Altman also addressed the rapid growth in ChatGPT’s user base. In a conversation with TED curator Chris Anderson on April 11, he estimated that the platform has close to 800 million weekly active users—about 10% of the global population. The surge in activity, fueled in part by viral features like Ghibli-style image generation, has significantly increased the platform’s operational demands.

OpenAI’s challenge now lies in balancing the growing popularity of ChatGPT with the environmental and financial strain of maintaining large-scale AI operations. As user interaction deepens, the energy footprint of AI continues to rise.

Humor and Anxiety Collide Online

Social media responses to Altman’s revelation ranged from comedic to cautionary. Some users joked that being polite might spare them during a hypothetical AI uprising, referencing dystopian pop culture scenarios like Terminator or The Matrix. Others questioned why such high costs couldn’t be addressed with simpler solutions, like programming basic polite replies client-side to reduce server load.

Regardless of perspective, the conversation has ignited public curiosity around the unseen costs of everyday digital habits.

Despite the growing expense, Altman’s stance remains clear. Describing the costs as “well spent,” he signaled that OpenAI prioritizes building intuitive, human-like experiences with its AI—costs included.