We discuss a surprising financial burden on AI companies like OpenAI, as CEO Sam Altman admits that polite phrases such as "please" and "thank you" from ChatGPT users cost "tens of millions of dollars" in electricity. This expense stems from the vast computational power required by large language models (LLMs) running on thousands of GPUs in data centers, which consume significant energy for every AI-generated response. While costly, some AI experts, including those from Microsoft, argue that politeness from users positively influences AI outputs, fostering more respectful and collaborative interactions. A 2024 survey further indicates that a majority of American chatbot users regularly employ courteous language, driven by ethical beliefs or even humorous concerns about future AI behavior. This growing trend contributes to the increasing global electricity consumption by data centers, a figure projected to rise sharply with the expansion of AI applications.

The Cost of AI Politeness

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