Being Polite can be Expensive

In a surprising revelation from the top echelons of the AI world. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has recently brought to light the potentially significant cost of our polite interactions with AI chatbots like ChatGPT.
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In a discussion sparked on X, Altman acknowledged that the simple act of users saying "please" and "thank you" to these language models is adding up to a considerable expense in computing power – he estimates "tens of millions of dollars." While he jokingly added, "You never know," the underlying message hints at the immense scale of resources these AI interactions demand.

Interestingly, this seemingly trivial etiquette isn't without its proponents within the AI community. Some architects, like Microsoft's design manager Kurtis Beavers, suggest that using polite language can actually influence the AI's responses, fostering more respectful and collaborative outputs. The logic here is that these "prediction machines," as they're sometimes called, learn from the patterns in our prompts, potentially mirroring the level of politeness they receive. A Microsoft memo even suggests that generative AI tends to reflect the professionalism and clarity present in the user's input.

A recent survey indicated that a significant majority of US users, around 67 percent, admit to being courteous with their chatbots. While some believe it's simply "the right thing to do," a smaller fraction humorously cite concerns about a future AI uprising as their motivation.

Regardless of the reasons behind our digital politeness, the environmental impact of AI is a growing concern. A study by the Washington Post in collaboration with researchers highlighted that even generating a short, 100-word email consumes a measurable amount of electricity. Extrapolate that to the countless lengthy prompts we feed AI chatbots daily, and the energy consumption becomes substantial.

The reality is that the data centers powering these AI marvels already account for roughly two percent of global energy consumption, a figure expected to surge as AI becomes more integrated into our lives. So, the next time you're tempted to thank your AI assistant, perhaps consider the broader implications. Perhaps a more direct approach, or even handling the task yourself, might be a more environmentally conscious choice. It's a thought-provoking reminder that even our seemingly small digital interactions carry real-world consequences.

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