OpenAI Faces Financial Impact from Polite ChatGPT Interactions

According to Cointelegraph, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently highlighted the financial implications of users sending polite messages to ChatGPT, estimating the cost at tens of millions of dollars. Altman shared this insight on April 16, responding to a query on X, sparking a broader discussion about the motivations behind courteous interactions with AI models. The conversation has revealed varied reasons for such behavior. Some users express politeness towards AI with the belief that if AI becomes sentient, it might treat individuals based on past interactions. Engineer Carl Youngblood emphasizes treating AI with courtesy as a moral imperative, suggesting that it aids personal development and prevents the deterioration of interpersonal skills. A survey conducted by Future in December 2024 found that 67% of American users are polite to AI assistants, with 55% doing so because they believe it's the right thing to do, while 12% act out of fear that mistreating AI could have future consequences. The debate extends to ChatGPT's electricity consumption, with a September 2023 research paper by Digiconomist founder Alex de Vries estimating that a single query requires around three watt-hours of electricity. However, Josh You, a data analyst from Epoch AI, argues that this figure is an overestimate, suggesting it is closer to 0.3 watt-hours due to advancements in models and hardware efficiency. Amidst these discussions, Altman noted that AI output costs have been decreasing tenfold annually as models become more efficient. Despite these challenges, OpenAI anticipates significant revenue growth, projecting a more than threefold increase this year to $12.7 billion, even as competition intensifies from companies like China's DeepSeek. However, OpenAI does not expect to achieve cash-flow positivity until 2029, when it forecasts revenues to exceed $125 billion. The ongoing discourse around AI interactions and operational costs underscores the evolving landscape of AI technology and its integration into daily life.