DeepAI CEO Sam Altman recently revealed that using polite language with AI, such as saying “please” and “thank you,” is costly. He noted that these extra words significantly increase energy consumption, costing the company tens of millions of dollars each year. This discussion began on social media when someone questioned the financial impact of polite prompts on electricity costs. Altman admitted these costs are high but believes they are worth it. He mentioned, “Tens of millions of dollars well spent—you never know.” Powering large language models like ChatGPT requires immense energy, even for seemingly small niceties. Despite the expense, he appreciates the human-like quality that politeness adds to interactions. Others in the tech industry support using polite language. Microsoft’s design manager, Kurtis Beavers, stated that polite prompts set a respectful tone and encourage collaborative responses. Meanwhile, a study found that generating a simple AI email uses about 0.14 kilowatt-hours, enough to power 14 LED lights for one hour. Curiously, a 2024 survey revealed that 67% of Americans were polite to chatbots. Among them, 55% felt it was simply the right thing to do, while 12% humorously mentioned it was to prepare for a possible AI uprising. Thus, while polite language might increase costs, many still consider it a small price for kindness, even towards machines.