Your thank-yous, please cost OpenAI millions, Sam Altman says
What's the story
Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, has acknowledged that the politeness of users costs the company millions of US Dollars, but he considers it money well spent. Responding to a query on X, asking how much money OpenAI has lost in electricity costs from users saying "please" and "thank you" to their models, Altman revealed it costs "tens of millions of dollars."
Importance
Altman emphasizes value of politeness in AI interactions
Altman stressed that the price paid for users' politeness is worth it. "You never know," he said, highlighting the unpredictability and value of such user behavior. This remark underlines OpenAI's dedication to promoting a respectful and positive interaction between humans and artificial intelligence, even if it comes at a cost.
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Experts support Altman's stance
Experts in AI design, including Microsoft's Design Manager Kurtis Beavers, have backed Altman's view. Beavers told Futurism that good etiquette "helps generate respectful, collaborative outputs." He went on to explain that using polite language sets a tone for the response from an AI model.
AI interaction
Politeness influences AI's responses
A memo from Microsoft's WorkLab also backs this opinion. It said, "When it clocks politeness, it's more likely to be polite back." The memo added that generative AI reflects the levels of professionalism, clarity, and detail in the prompts given by users. This highlights how user behavior plays a role in determining the responses of AI systems.
Survey findings
User survey reveals motivations behind politeness
A 2024 survey found that most American users (67%) were polite to their AI assistants. Of these, 55% said they did so "because it's the right thing to do," while 12% confessed it was to remain on good terms in case of an AI uprising.