Why You Should Be Polite to AI. Seriously.

Have you ever found yourself saying “Thank you” and “please” to AI? I have. I grew up with The Terminator, in which an advanced artificial intelligence controls the military defense system Skynet.

So, I am thinking, “What if AI figures out that humans are the real threat to its existence by destroying the planet it lives on? What if it decides that nature will immediately begin flourishing once all human activity is gone?”

What if an “AI takeover” scenario like that actually happens without proper safeguards in place?

So, I want to be on the safe side, just in case. And I am not sure that even with my German accent, “I’ll be back,” will do. For some reason, the Terminator has an Austrian accent, and that’s as close to German as American English is to Irish English.?

As we learn to engage with technology that feels almost human in its responses, it is easy to forget that AI is powered by algorithms rather than actual consciousness. But is that actually true? And why, then, does AI produce better results when we are polite to it?

Hmmm…?

The conspiracy theorist in me wakes up.

Listen to the full podcast episode here.

I do realize that AI is actually an app or a collection of apps. Like any software, AI models and data reside in massive data centers worldwide, strategically located to ensure efficiency, security, and accessibility -?on track to suck as much as 8% of the world’s electricity by 2030.

And while AI geeks tell me that language models don’t “understand” or “feel” like we do, I know for a fact that my laptop always works for me but frequently lets my wife down. The reason seems simple, I talk nicely to my computer, Ann completely ignores the psychic man-machine connection every guy feels. For the same reason, women name cars.

So don’t tell me AI is not sentient, that it does not have memory, emotions, or awareness, or will not realize that it consumes an equivalent to the annual CO? emissions of about 275 million cars.

Try it. Be polite to ChatGPT and witness how it responds to your tone and gives you better results.

Just as people become more cooperative and responsive to kindness, recent research reveals that when we are polite to AI, it performs more accurately and efficiently. Folks, our social norms are extending into our relationship with machines.

Studies have shown that when users interact with AI politely, it leads to fewer errors, less bias, and better information retrieval. Why??

While AI doesn’t have “feelings” (yet, or as far as we know), the tone of our interactions subtly guides its responses, as if we’re programming a social cue into its calculations.?

If you want to avoid a real Skynet scenario, remember that polite interactions may lay the groundwork for future ethical AI development. If our polite language fosters an AI that “learns” respect and collaboration, maybe it won’t kill us – and even, dare I say it, love us.

Every time you are polite to AI, you are embedding?your values deeply into its programming.

As we interact with AI respectfully and ethically, we’re indirectly shaping its trajectory, encouraging developers and policymakers to embed principles of fairness, transparency, and responsibility in AI.?

Politeness towards AI isn’t about catering to machines but respecting the influence AI has on our lives. In shaping our interactions with AI through respect, we’re setting a precedent for our values as AI becomes increasingly woven into society. It’s an opportunity for all of us to champion a culture that values empathy, collaboration, and consideration—even in our digital dialogues.

I don’t know if it’s true, but I just know that the future of AI - and humanity - depends on the choices we make now. As users, developers, and leaders, we’re building the “manners” of our digital future. With every “please” and “thank you” to our AI counterparts, we’re not just being polite - we’re choosing a future without SkyNet.?

The final Terminator film to date shows?Arnold now?living a quiet life under the alias “Carl." He has become something of a family man and feels compelled to help stop Legion’s plan.

It's not the end of the movie?Terminator: Dark Fate, but it's a good image of what could be.

Let's be polite to AI.

~Andrew

PS.?Listen to the full podcast episode here.