AI image generated by Midjourney
A few weeks ago I asked Anthropic’s Claude a question, and I accidentally engaged the CAPS lock button. My question: “WHAT ARE 5 BENEFITS TO USING AI FEEDBACK FOR IDEATION AND BRAINSTORMING”.
Claude answered the question, but added: “I notice you’re typing in all caps – while I can understand you perfectly either way, it might be more comfortable for you to type in regular case if you’d like.
Was Claude concerned that by using ALL CAPS I was shouting and being impolite
Are you polite with your AI?
Do you instinctively say “please” and “thank you” to ChatGPT, Gemini or Claude — just like you would to a colleague.
A 2024 study by Future plc (publisher of TechRadar) found that 71% of UK respondents and 67% of US respondents are polite to AI. Interestingly, 12% of US respondents said that when the robot uprising happens, they don’t want to be first (you can never be too safe).
But why does it Matter?
AI doesn’t have ‘feelings’ to hurt or offend, and it certainly doesn’t care whether it’s 4:58 on a Friday afternoon, or 9:01 on a dreary Monday morning.
While there’s no evidence that politeness alone gets you better responses, researchers and other recent studies suggest that polite prompts tend to:
- Be clearer and more structured
- Provide richer context
- Lead to more tailored responses
This post includes assistance from Claude, Google Gemini and ChatGPT. Image generated using Midjourney.
This post includes assistance from Claude, Google Gemini and ChatGPT. Images generated using Midjourney.
Randall J. Matheson
Randy Matheson is an innovation strategist with a 25+ year proven track record of turning ideas into digital products. He specializes in working with Generative AI for content creation and using cutting-edge AI tools to create and interact with virtual audiences. He operates out Hamilton, Ontario where he resides with his partner and two large dogs.