Saying 'Please' And 'Thank You' To OpenAI ChatGPT Is Worth 'Tens Of Millions Of Dollars Well Spent'

Being kind doesn't cost a thing. Its warmth can brighten even the darkest day, and can mean everything to someone else, unless they're an AI.

Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, the company that created an arms race between tech companies when it revealed ChatGPT, said that polite phrases used in Large Language Models interactions are contributing to tens of millions of dollars in electricity costs.

Despite the financial impact, he described the expense as "well spent," emphasizing the value of natural, human-like AI conversations.

He said this when he responded to a user on X, who wondered about the electricity cost incurred by polite language in interactions with ChatGPT.

The remark, though light-hearted, underlined the real cost associated with each word processed by the AI system.

AI does not possess consciousness in any form and is incapable of experiencing biological reactions or emotions.

Unlike humans, AI cannot feel an oxytocin surge—the so-called "bonding hormone"—nor can it enjoy a boost in dopamine or serotonin, which regulate mood and happiness. It doesn't experience a drop in cortisol, the hormone linked to stress, nor does it benefit from increased endorphins that ease pain and promote pleasure. In essence, AI functions without the intricate emotional and physiological responses that define human experience.

But some people just like to be nice, and a growing number of users are extending their basic manners when they interact with LLMs.

According to a 2024 survey, 67% of Americans report being courteous when interacting with AI tools. Among them, 55% say it simply feels morally appropriate, while 12% cheekily admit they're just playing it safe—hedging their bets in case of a future AI uprising.

This growing trend highlights just how deeply AI has woven itself into everyday life.

For many, these tools are no longer just machines, but conversational companions—deserving of manners, humor, and the occasional compliment.

Some users even take their politeness to theatrical levels, routinely addressing ChatGPT with honorifics like "my master," while others jokingly call their kindness a "necessary investment," you know—just in case the machines take over.

But being polite, despite seemingly trivial, carries computational consequences.

Each additional phrase users use, requires more processing power for the AI to process, 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.

In other words, being polite to LLMs adds computational load, as the interaction requires an increase in demand on their energy-intensive data centers.

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.

Read: With AI, 'Figuring Out What Questions To Ask Will Be More Important Than Figuring Out The Answer'

Once again, the hidden costs of the AI revolution are under scrutiny—this time, focusing on something as seemingly innocent as politeness.

It turns out, simply being courteous to ChatGPT and other LLMs might be taking a toll on the planet. As users increasingly treat AI as conversational partners rather than passive tools, the energy demands of sustaining these interactions are surging.

OpenAI and similar organizations are now grappling with how to balance the soaring popularity of LLMs with the growing financial and environmental burden of maintaining them.

Social media responses to Sam Altman’s revelations ranged from playful to pensive. Some users joked that politeness might save them during an AI uprising, nodding to dystopian legends like The Matrix or The Terminator. Others questioned why such expensive politeness couldn’t be simulated with lighter, client-side scripts instead of taxing massive server farms.

Despite the hefty costs, some experts defend the virtue of kindness in AI interactions.

While AI lacks emotions, they argue, the tone and structure of a user’s input can shape the quality of its output. Polite language tends to produce clearer, more thoughtful responses, making the experience feel more natural—even human.

So ironically, even in a future where machines don't feel, how we treat them might still shape the world we live in—both in tone, and in temperature.

Despite the growing expense, Altman’s stance remains clear.

By describing that the costs as "well spent," he signaled that OpenAI, and LLMs in general, are meant to building intuitive, human-like experiences with its AI—costs included.