Why We Should Be Polite to AI – And What It Says About Us
- Jun 22
- 1 min read
I recently ran a LinkedIn poll asking whether people try to be polite when interacting with AI (e.g., saying “please” or “thank you”).80% said yes. That’s not just interesting—it’s meaningful.
Sure, polite phrasing adds a few extra words (and technically, a bit more computation). But I believe the benefits far outweigh the costs. Here’s why:
1. It’s about the AI interaction.AI doesn’t “feel” politeness—but polite phrasing often leads to better results. Why? Because it usually comes with clearer, more thoughtful context. A request like “Could you please summarize this with key takeaways?” often gets a better response than just “Summarize this.” It’s not the manners—it’s the mindset behind them that helps AI respond more effectively.
2. It’s about other humans.If we get used to demanding answers from AI without any social effort, we risk carrying that impatience into human interactions. Politeness is a social muscle. If we stop exercising it, we lose it—and that would be a loss far greater than a few milliseconds of processing time.
3. Most importantly, it’s about you.The best outcomes happen when we treat AI as a teammate, not just a tool. And when we work with a teammate—especially one that learns from us—we lead better when we offer input with clarity and respect. A good leader gives thoughtful feedback, not commands. The same principle applies here. When we engage AI as a valuable collaborator, we get more refined thinking, better responses, and stronger results.
So yes, I’ll keep saying “please” and “thank you.”Not because AI needs it. But because we do.
What’s your take?
