Saying “thank you” and “please” are polite phrases, and that’s why we use them. But when it comes to AI tools like ChatGPT, they are actually causing more harm than good.
How,
Surprisingly, every extra word you type, including Thank You and Please, adds to up carbon footprint behind.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says unnecessary words like “thank you” or “please” are costing OpenAI millions of dollars in server expenses.
As ChatGPT doesn’t mind your manners (because it doesn’t have feelings), being polite and typing these words puts unexpected strain on resources.
Let’s dive into why you should not say thank you to ChatGPT and must learn how you interact with AI, and how a few small changes can make a big difference in power consumption.
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First off,
How ChatGPT Works
As a tech enthusiast, you might know that ChatGPT is an advanced AI language model developed by OpenAI.
It’s designed to understand text input and generate human-like text responses in reply.
But behind the scenes, there are countless calculations done to serve you the reply. They behave very differently from humans.
ChatGPT works on analyzing patterns in the data it was trained with, billions of words from books, articles, websites, and conversations with its LLM Engine.
When you type a message in its interface, ChatGPT doesn’t “think” or “understand” like a person.
Instead, it search its large database and works on logic to create the response.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the process:
- Input: You send a message (called a “prompt”) to ChatGPT.
- Processing: ChatGPT breaks down your prompt into tiny parts called “tokens” (words or parts of words).
- Prediction: It predicts the next most likely token, one by one, to form a complete and clear response.
- Output: The completed response is shown in front of you.
As it is a server-based programme, every interaction requires server power.
Powerful computers behind the scenes process your message and generate a reply almost instantly.
That’s why, even a few extra words (like “please” or “thank you”) increase the number of tokens, which means slightly more work for the servers.
When millions of people do the same thing, the server costs millions of dollars for these unnecessary calculations.
So if ChatGPT doesn’t have emotions or personal experiences, why should you say thank you to it and put extra burden on the server?
The Cost of Politeness
Being polite is a great quality as a human, but when it comes to interacting with AI like ChatGPT, that politeness has an unexpected price tag regarding server cost.
According to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman: using extra words like “please,” “thank you,” or writing unnecessarily long prompts leads to a significant increase in server costs. So avoid this habit when interacting with AI.
As the calculations are done by AI counted in tokens,
- More tokens = more computation: Each word adds to the AI’s workload.
- More computation = higher energy use: Servers need more electricity to process longer inputs.
- Higher energy use = bigger bills: Operational and maintenance costs skyrocket.
- Environmental impact: Ultimately, increased server use also means a higher carbon footprint.
In short, a little politeness towards ChatGPT and other AI tools multiplied across the world and leads to real-world financial and environmental costs that you must be aware of.
Efficiency vs. Etiquette
Now that you know politeness can cost money and resources in terms of AI tools, the big question is: Should you stop being polite to ChatGPT altogether?
The answer isn’t so black and white.
On one side, efficiency matters, especially when millions of people use AI daily.
Keeping prompts short reduces server load, saves energy, and helps reduce carbon footprint.
On the other side, etiquette is our basic nature. It plays an important psychological and cultural role.
Saying “please” or “thank you” feels natural and positive by encouraging good communication habits and creating a better atmosphere.
But, for me, I don’t put extra burden on servers. Ultimately, it adds carbon footprint and leads to global warming.
Let’s talk about expert opinions.
What Experts Say?
Experts in AI technology and digital communication like Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, don’t want you to say thank you or please to ChatGPT.
He recently pointed out that small behaviors, like adding “please” and “thank you” in prompts, collectively cost the company millions of dollars in extra server expenses.
Meanwhile, AI ethicists and communication researchers like Dr. Kate Darling, a researcher at MIT who studies human-robot interaction, say – treating machines with basic courtesy isn’t just emotional, it reflects how deeply social norms are built into our behavior.
Environmental experts, on the other hand, warn that unnecessarily long AI interactions contribute to higher energy consumption and carbon emissions.
Conclusion
So, what’s the bottom line?
For me, I must care about the environment first, and then show my politeness.
Its all your choice how you want to interact with ChatGPT and other tools. Well, that doesn’t mean you have to become completely robotic in your communication.
It simply means to become more mindful.
Short and efficient prompts not only save resources but also help AI platforms remain affordable and sustainable for everyone.
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