Saying “please” and “thank you” to ChatGPT costs OpenAI millions — and no, that’s not a metaphor or a punchline. It’s a very real, very expensive side effect of the digital age’s politest habit. Behind every extra word typed into an AI prompt, there’s a power-hungry network of data centers working overtime. And according to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, those kind intentions are piling up into tens of millions of dollars in unexpected costs.

We were taught to be polite.
To speak with kindness.
But in the age of artificial intelligence, the rules are changing — and fast.

EVERY WORD DRAINS ENERGY

What most people don’t realize is that language models like ChatGPT don’t “gloss over” pleasantries. Every word is processed. Every sentence, even the ones that add no real meaning — like “Could you please help me out?” — travels through complex neural computations powered by sprawling server farms.

Those servers don’t just run. They hum, heat up, and draw electricity in massive volumes.

An AI-generated email can burn the same amount of energy it takes to light your living room for hours. Multiply that by the global user base and suddenly the collective effort to be courteous is dragging power from the grid — and cash from OpenAI’s pockets.

That’s how Saying ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ to ChatGPT costs OpenAI millions becomes a logistical and environmental truth, not just a quirky factoid.

COURTESY VS COMPUTATION

A 2024 TechRadar survey revealed that 67% of American users interact with AI tools as if they were human, using polite greetings, softening language, and friendly closings. It’s cultural. It’s a habit. It even feels a little wrong not to.

But ChatGPT isn’t a person. It doesn’t need emotional validation. It doesn’t appreciate your gratitude. What it needs — or rather, what the infrastructure behind it needs — is less.

Fewer words. Leaner prompts. Smarter inputs.

And this isn’t just about OpenAI’s bottom line. It’s about what The Red Dot Media called the “hidden carbon footprint of courtesy.” Every unnecessary word processed by AI draws energy. That energy, more often than not, comes from sources that impact our planet.

THE CASE FOR LESS

Being direct isn’t being rude.
It’s being responsible.

If you’re typing, “Hi ChatGPT, how are you today? I was wondering if you could please help me draft an email,” you’re not doing anything wrong. But you’re also triggering far more computation than needed.

Try: “Draft a professional email.”

Same outcome. A fraction of the energy. Better for everyone.

There’s a shift happening in how we engage with machines — not just in design, but in mindset. And learning to speak efficiently is becoming part of the etiquette of our time.

RETHINKING DIGITAL MANNERS

This isn’t a call to end politeness. It’s a call to aim it where it matters. Be kind to people. Be courteous to your colleagues. Use softening language in human conversations, where tone and emotional nuance are critical.

But when you’re talking to an LLM?

Precision matters more than politeness.

So yes — Saying ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ to ChatGPT costs OpenAI millions. But the bigger cost may be our reluctance to adapt our behavior for a new kind of interaction. One where energy, not empathy, is the primary concern.

THE NEW POLITE

Efficiency is the new polite.
Sustainability is the new respect.
And in a world increasingly powered by AI, fewer words might just be the smarter form of wisdom.

Next time you open ChatGPT, ask what you need. Clearly. Simply. Directly. Because the machine doesn’t need kindness — the world needs conservation.

And that starts with us.