The Politeness Paradox: Should We Use "Please" and "Thank You" with AI?
In recent discussions surrounding artificial intelligence (AI), OpenAI CEO Sam Altman sparked curiosity about the potential costs of politeness in interactions with chatbots. A user on the platform X questioned how much OpenAI might spend on additional electricity costs from users adding "please" and "thank you" to their prompts. Altman humorously responded, "Tens of millions of dollars well spent — you never know."
Each query to AI requires energy, and extra words can be likened to packaging that AI must process to reach the core request, according to Neil Johnson, a physics professor at George Washington University. Given that the AI boom relies heavily on fossil fuels, one might argue against the necessity of civility towards non-sentient systems.
Yet, the cultural implications of politeness are significant. A 2019 Pew Research study indicated that over half of smart speaker owners often incorporate “please” in their commands, hinting at a growing societal inclination to treat AI with respect. Experts like Dr. Jaime Banks suggest that modeling polite behavior towards AI may cultivate better human-to-human interactions.
Dr. Sherry Turkle emphasizes that while AI lacks genuine consciousness, it might be "alive enough" to warrant courtesy during interactions, especially as we develop intimate connections with these technologies.
Even as the efficacy of such interactions remains somewhat theoretical, playwright Madeleine George posits that teaching AI to understand polite language could enable it to resonate more closely with human values. However, concerns persist regarding dependency on AI, suggesting that our kindness might inadvertently tether us to these systems.
Ultimately, the question remains: in an era of rapidly evolving AI, should we extend our humanity to machines, or is it merely a reflection of our cultural norms? As the dialogue continues, one thing is clear: kindness may not just be about the AI—it shapes who we are as humans.
Note: The image is for illustrative purposes only and is not the original image of the presented article.
