Artificial intelligence like ChatGPT is still a relatively new phenomenon, but some questions have already become hot topics of discussion. One of them is certainly whether it is necessary to be polite when communicating with such tools. Is it reasonable to thank, ask for answers or improvements, or are these just unnecessary remnants of human etiquette in the digital world? Should we be polite to artificial intelligence?
Question: Is it necessary to be? Journalist Becca Caddy from the portal TechRadar decided to explore this dilemma in a unique way – she abandoned politeness altogether and communicated with artificial intelligence only with commands. No “please”, no “thank you”, just cold, direct requests.
The result? There was something… strange.
“My commands felt unnatural, and the responses less useful. This surprised me and made me think – is politeness more than just a social norm? Can it influence AI responses or even our long-term relationship with technology? To find out, I turned to the experts,” she said.
And it turns out that politeness towards artificial intelligence is not an isolated phenomenon – in fact, it is the rule. A December 2024 survey by Future found that 71% of respondents in the UK and 67% of respondents in the US are polite when communicating with AI.
Why do we humans talk to artificial intelligence as if it were human?
The reason is quite simple – politeness is instilled in us from childhood, so it is automatically activated when communicating with machines. However, as chatbots like ChatGPT become more sophisticated and “human”, many people subconsciously treat them as something more than just soulless algorithms. This is what we call anthropomorphism – when we attribute human characteristics to inanimate objects or programs.
But it's not just a matter of habit. The way we interact with artificial intelligence raises deeper social and ethical questions. Does the tone we use with artificial intelligence reflect our general way of communicating with humans? Can a respectful attitude towards chatbots improve our communication patterns in everyday life as well?
Some people even believe that being polite to artificial intelligence is a kind of insurance policy for the future. In a Future survey, 12% of Americans admitted that they are polite to artificial intelligence because they fear it will “remember” this if it ever achieves consciousness – a kind of technological scenario along the lines of Skynet. While this may sound like science fiction, it points to a growing unease about the increasing role of artificial intelligence in our lives. It is clear that we need to be polite to artificial intelligence.
Does politeness affect artificial intelligence responses?
Short answer? To some extent – yes.
Many customer support chatbots are designed to reflect the tone of the user. If you are aggressive, the AI will often respond in a more reserved and neutral manner, while a polite approach can yield more comprehensive and informative answers.
This one mirror effect can affect how we perceive the trustworthiness of AI. Research shows that tone affects trust levels, even if the actual content of the response doesn't change. Simply put – politeness doesn't make artificial intelligence smarter, but it can make it more useful.
Additionally, when we are polite, we often subconsciously provide more context, which allows the AI to better understand the question and provide a more accurate answer. Research shows that the most effective questions are those that are clear, balanced and not too loose or overly formal. So be polite to artificial intelligence!
Conclusion: “Thank you” is not just a nice gesture, but a smart strategy – so! Is it necessary to be polite to artificial intelligence?
If you have a natural tendency to say “please” and “thank you,” research shows that doing so is not only polite, but also beneficial. Well-structured, polite questions often yield better answers, and in some cases can even reduce AI bias.
So if you think that communicating with AI should be completely impersonal, maybe think again. It's not just good etiquette, it's a way to improve communication - even if only with an algorithm.
Or, for that matter, you never know when AI will truly become conscious. Better to be on the safe side, right?
