The Government Digital Service has issued a draft memo urging civil servants to cut the environmental and financial costs of AI by using shorter prompts and the smallest model appropriate for the task. It asks employees to consider whether AI is necessary and to avoid unnecessary exchanges — including polite 'thank you' replies that still consume compute. The memo is part of the government's shift from the withdrawn Generative AI Framework to the new AI Playbook (Feb 2025).
UK Government Urges Civil Servants to Save Energy — Stop Thanking Chatbots and Use Smaller Models
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The UK Government's Government Digital Service (GDS) has issued a draft memo asking civil servants to reduce the environmental and financial costs of using AI. The guidance recommends shorter prompts, picking the smallest model capable of the task, and reconsidering whether AI is needed at all — even advising staff not to send polite 'thank you' replies that trigger extra compute.
What the Memo Says
The draft memo reminds staff they "must use [AI] safely, fairly and sustainably, especially for government work." It highlights three practical measures: keep prompts brief, choose the smallest suitable model, and "use as few prompts as possible." The memo explicitly notes that "you don't need to say thank you," because every prompt consumes compute and energy.
Why This Matters
Even small, repeated actions can add up when thousands of civil servants interact with chatbots. The memo frames reduced interaction as both an environmental and a cost-saving measure. It cites broader industry comments — including an estimate from OpenAI CEO Sam Altman that courteous replies such as 'please' and 'thank you' have contributed to substantial additional costs — to underline the potential scale of the effect.
Practical Guidance and Context
- Use Short, Focused Prompts: Fewer and clearer prompts reduce back-and-forth and wasted compute.
- Choose the Smallest Effective Model: Smaller models typically use less energy and cost less to run.
- Consider Alternatives: Assess whether a non-AI tool or manual process is more appropriate.
- Limit Unnecessary Exchanges: Avoid redundant polite responses or repeated clarifications that add up at scale.
- Follow Departmental Policies: This memo forms part of the government's broader responsible AI approach and complements the new AI Playbook for the UK Government, which replaced the Generative AI Framework in February 2025.
"You don't need to say thank you." — Draft memo, Government Digital Service
While skipping a single 'thanks' saves almost no energy on its own, the memo argues that small behavioral changes multiplied across many users can reduce both carbon footprint and public-sector technology bills. The guidance encourages staff to apply pragmatic judgment about when and how to use AI tools.
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