The adage “Politeness costs nothing” might need revisiting in the age of AI. Recently, a discussion on X sparked a debate about the computational cost of politeness towards AI chatbots like ChatGPT. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman revealed that processing polite terms like “please” and “thank you” costs the company “tens of millions of dollars.” This revelation highlights the resource-intensive nature of AI and raises questions about the balance between courtesy and efficiency.
The Environmental Impact of Pleasantries
Every interaction with an AI chatbot, especially those involving polite language, requires processing power. This processing translates into energy consumption at data centers, many of which rely on fossil fuels. While individual polite phrases might seem insignificant, the cumulative effect across billions of queries contributes significantly to energy usage and environmental impact.
A Question of Manners: How Polite Are We to AI?
A US survey indicated that 67% of respondents are polite to AI chatbots. This statistic reveals a fascinating aspect of human interaction with technology. While knowing that AI isn’t sentient, many still default to politeness. However, this raises the question: should we prioritize efficiency over etiquette when interacting with these tools? Is it necessary to be polite to an algorithm?
Does Politeness Impact AI Performance?
Research suggests that the level of politeness in prompts can influence the quality of responses from Large Language Models (LLMs). Impolite prompts have been linked to less accurate, more biased, and less informative responses. A TechRadar reporter also observed a decline in helpfulness when interacting with ChatGPT less courteously. These findings suggest that politeness may play a role in optimizing AI performance.
The Potential Social Consequences
Beyond the immediate impact on AI performance and resource consumption, there’s a broader social concern. Some experts worry that normalizing blunt interactions with AI could spill over into human communication, potentially eroding politeness in interpersonal relationships.
Balancing Courtesy and Efficiency
The question of how to interact with AI chatbots presents a unique dilemma. While politeness may enhance AI performance and uphold social norms, it also carries a computational and environmental cost. Finding a balance between courtesy and efficiency remains a challenge as AI technology continues to evolve.
