Should you stop saying ‘please’ in your ChatGPT prompts? An expert explains
Expert debunks ChatGPT ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ myth
- The idea that using polite language like “please” and “thank you” in AI prompts significantly impacts energy consumption is largely a myth, as the effect of a few extra words is negligible compared to the overall energy demands of data centres.
- Artificial intelligence systems are energy-intensive because each query requires a fresh computation, unlike streaming or retrieving existing data, making AI behave more like infrastructure than conventional software.
- Data centres, which power AI, already account for a significant and rapidly growing share of global electricity consumption, with demand potentially doubling by the end of the decade.
- Beyond electricity, data centres require substantial water for cooling and occupy land, creating local environmental impacts even when serving global users.
- Experts argue that focusing on minor behavioural tweaks distracts from the need to integrate AI infrastructure into broader energy, water, and land-use planning to manage its significant environmental footprint effectively.