Saying “Please” and “Thank You” to ChatGPT Is Costing Millions – Here’s Why It Matters

Introduction

In an age where artificial intelligence is becoming more conversational, many users naturally say “please” and “thank you” to tools like ChatGPT. It’s polite, right? But what if we told you that those simple words are costing OpenAI tens of millions of dollars?

Recently, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman revealed that niceties in AI prompts—though small—accumulate into a surprisingly large expense. Here’s what’s really happening behind the scenes.

The Cost of Being Polite to AI

When a user types “please” or “thank you” in their ChatGPT message, it might seem harmless. But these extra words are more than just fluff—they require extra processing power. ChatGPT must interpret and respond to every word in a prompt, no matter how simple it seems.

In a response to a question on X (formerly Twitter), Sam Altman said,

“Tens of millions of dollars well spent — you never know.”

This was in reply to a user who asked if being polite to ChatGPT was really costing OpenAI that much. Turns out, it is.

Why Do Extra Words Cost So Much?

The answer lies in computational resources. Every word you input into ChatGPT requires AI servers to analyze, generate responses, and send data back to you. Now imagine millions of users, multiple times a day, each adding a few extra words per message. It all adds up.

The results?

• Higher electricity use
• More water for cooling AI servers
• Increased operational costs

According to Tom’s Hardware, the environmental impact of these “polite” prompts is significant.

Politeness: A Feature, Not a Bug?

Despite the cost, Altman doesn’t seem too worried. In fact, he believes the expense is “well spent.” Why? Because it reflects something deeply human.

Politeness helps make AI feel more approachable and human-like. In a world where we’re interacting with machines more than ever, those small gestures bridge the gap between cold code and warm conversation.

In an article published in Techradar, it is mentioned that “around 70% of people are polite to AI when interacting with it“

Should You Stop Being Polite to ChatGPT?

Not really. Being brief can help save a bit of energy, but there’s something to be said for keeping our conversations kind and respectful. At the end of the day, AI isn’t just here to reply fast—it’s here to feel like a helpful companion.

That said, if you’re interested in doing your part to save a little energy, try keeping prompts short and to the point. It might seem small, but when millions of people do it, it can actually make a difference.

Conclusion

Yes, saying “please” and “thank you” to ChatGPT is surprisingly expensive. But it also reminds us of something powerful—our natural tendency to treat even artificial intelligence with basic human decency. Whether that’s worth millions is up for debate, but it certainly says something about the kind of future we’re building.