Saying ‘please,’ 'thank you' to ChatGPT is costing OpenAI millions, says CEO

Engaging with artificial intelligence using courteous language might seem harmless — or even beneficial — but it turns out it comes with a price tag.

OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman recently revealed that the simple act of saying “please” and “thank you” to ChatGPT has cost the company a significant amount of money.

Responding to a question on X about the financial toll of users practicing good manners with AI, Altman said, “Tens of millions of dollars well spent--you never know.”

tens of millions of dollars well spent--you never know

— Sam Altman (@sama) April 16, 2025

Generative AI systems, like ChatGPT, require substantial energy to operate, especially during model training. However, even day-to-day interactions can add up in terms of processing costs — particularly when those interactions include unnecessary or overly verbose inputs.

Microsoft has also weighed in on the impact of politeness in AI use. Kurtis Beavers, a director on the design team for Microsoft Copilot, emphasized in a WorkLab memo that using etiquette when communicating with AI can shape the tone and quality of its responses.

"Using basic etiquette when interacting with AI" helps generate "respectful, collaborative outputs," Beavers wrote. He added that AI tends to reflect the clarity and professionalism of the input it receives, noting that courteous language "not only ensures you get the same graciousness in return, but it also improves the AI's responsiveness and performance."

Data supports the idea that many users are already making an effort to be polite. A survey conducted in December 2024 by Future, the publisher behind TechRadar, found that 67 percent of US respondents report using polite language with AI. In the UK, that number was even higher at 71 percent.

Still, not everyone is inclined toward kindness, at least not out of habit. The same survey, which polled over 1,000 people, found that many users skip pleasantries for conciseness. Interestingly, 12 percent of respondents admitted to being polite to AI out of fear of technology and future consequences.