OpenAI CEO Reveals Rising Costs Of ChatGPT Usage - The Impact of Politeness on Operational Costs
OpenAI's CEO, Sam Altman, recently took to Twitter to disclose the escalating operational costs linked to user interactions on ChatGPT. The expenses are rapidly approaching tens of millions of dollars, primarily due to the additional computational load induced by users' courteous phrases like "please" and "thank you" at the end of their inquiries.
The Effect of Polite Expressions on Operational Costs
Altman elaborated that these polite expressions significantly intensify the demand on the platform's computing resources, leading to a surge in operational costs. This revelation sparked a lighthearted discussion on social media, where one user humorously suggested resolving the issue by programming the system to automatically respond with "you're welcome."
Another user pointed out the irony of conserving electricity by eliminating the practice of ending every response with a question.
Surge in Popularity and Energy Consumption
The context of Altman's comments coincides with the increasing popularity of ChatGPT. The platform has witnessed a surge in interest, particularly with the emergence of AI-generated content inspired by the iconic works of Studio Ghibli.
This trend has attracted numerous new users, pushing the average weekly active user count to surpass 150 million in the first half of 2025.
According to a report from Goldman Sachs, the energy consumption associated with ChatGPT-4 is remarkable. Each query consumes approximately 2.9 watt-hours of electricity, nearly ten times the energy required for a standard search query on Google.
Environmental Impact and Sustainability
This significant energy usage of ChatGPT translates to the daily energy consumption equivalent of over 10,000 average-sized apartments in Russia. It emphasizes the substantial footprint that AI technologies can have on energy resources.
As the demand for AI services grows, the implications of such energy consumption become increasingly critical.
The balance between providing an engaging user experience, managing operational costs, and mitigating environmental impact poses a challenge for companies like OpenAI as they expand their platforms.
The Future of AI Technologies
In conclusion, the discussion on the rising operational costs associated with ChatGPT underscores the intricate relationship between technology, user behavior, and environmental stewardship.
OpenAI faces the ongoing challenge of balancing these aspects to maintain its leadership in the AI space.
