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OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently responded to an X user asking how much electricity has been wasted on users saying “please” and “thank you” to ChatGPT.

Altman replied, “Tens of millions of dollars well spent,” referencing the massive energy demands of generative AI models. A single ChatGPT query reportedly uses enough energy to power a lightbulb for about 20 minutes. As millions use these platforms daily, the energy usage — and environmental cost — adds up fast. Google and Microsoft have reported significant emissions increases, attributing much of it to AI data centers. Some researchers warn that climate change, not rogue AI, is the true existential crisis. Still, politeness in AI queries remains popular: a 2024 survey found 67% of Americans using AI are polite to bots, with most saying it’s simply “the nice thing to do.” Experts note that respectful language may even improve the quality of AI responses, promoting better human-AI interaction.

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