In today's world, where artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly integrated into our lives, AI has become an essential assistant for our daily conversations and problem-solving. However, you might not realize that these seemingly simple interactions come with a significant cost.
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, revealed that the company spends tens of millions of dollars annually just to process user pleasantries and polite phrases. These simple expressions like "thank you" and "please," while making our interactions with AI feel more human, result in substantial energy consumption. For instance, a simple "you're welcome" reportedly consumes around 40-50 milliliters of water.
Image generated by AI
This raises the question of whether users unknowingly add to OpenAI's financial burden by engaging in friendly exchanges with AI. Despite this, OpenAI seemingly doesn't mind, as designing the model to automatically handle common greetings and polite phrases would be considerably complex.
Many users now treat AI not merely as a tool, but as a friend. This phenomenon has caught the attention of researchers. Teams at MIT and OpenAI have noted that as AI conversations become more human-like, some users may develop emotional dependence, even addiction, potentially leading to withdrawal symptoms upon cessation of interaction.
Nevertheless, expressing politeness isn't meaningless for users genuinely grateful for AI's assistance. Saying "thank you" after AI helps solve a complex problem or provides exam preparation advice is a clear acknowledgment of its contribution. Furthermore, for users paying for premium subscriptions, these interactions should be considered part of the service they're receiving. It's worth considering whether a "thank you" from a premium user carries more sincerity.
It's also intriguing to imagine that if future AI develops self-awareness, polite interactions could yield unexpected benefits. Although current AI cannot truly experience emotions, its human-like qualities encourage us to naturally interact politely.
