Research from Waseda University in Tokyo shows that polite interactions with AI chatbots, like ChatGPT, result in higher-quality and more precise answers. Conversely, abrupt instructions yield poorer results. However, this politeness comes at a cost: increased computational demands, higher energy consumption, and greater water usage. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman stated that processing polite phrases like "please" and "thank you" costs the company tens of millions of dollars.
Studies indicate that AI systems, particularly language models, consume significant resources and contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. The International Energy Agency projects a doubling of electricity demand for AI applications from 2024 to 2026. Additionally, a single chatbot conversation can consume about half a liter of water.
Despite the costs, Roger Basler de Roca, a business economist, views polite AI interaction as a strategic investment, enhancing trust and potentially boosting Switzerland's GDP by up to 50 billion francs by 2030 (according to a PwC study).
Psychologist Kerstin March emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between the task and relationship levels when interacting with AI. While politeness improves task outcomes, she cautions against developing an overly close relationship with AI, which could negatively impact interactions with real people.
Menna El Assady, an ETH Zurich computer scientist, advises users to understand AI's functioning, just as one needs to understand how a car works to drive it effectively. She suggests providing clear instructions and requesting multiple responses for comparison.