Should you say “please” and “thank you” to your AI tools? We went to the source(s) to find out.

I recently wrote a post about being polite to AI by using “please” and “thank you” issue titled, “Please and Thanks. Does Being Polite to your AI Tech Get Better Responses?” Spoiler alert; the AI may not care about politeness, but it could help the user craft clearer and more structured prompts, providing richer context, which should lead to more nuanced responses from the AI.

So, I thought, why not just go directly to the AI models themselves and find out what they’ve been trained to think about politeness. 

In response to a query on X (formerly Twitter) about the energy costs associated with users’ including polite phrases like “please” and “thank you” in their ChatGPT interactions, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman stated that these interactions amount to “tens of millions of dollars well spent, you never know.”

Well, that’s not great news. Am I doing indirect harm to the environment simply by adding a  “please” or “thanks” to my conversations with AI?

A December 2024 survey conducted by Future revealed that 67% of Americans regularly use polite language when talking to chatbots. Of those, 55% said it felt like the right thing to do, while 12% (half-jokingly, hopefully) admitted that they’re hoping it earns them a pass if the robots ever take over.

To get an answer, I sat down with the AI themselves. You know them, you love them (even when they lie to you): ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini!

TL;DR:
Saying “please” and “thank you” doesn’t change how AI works—but it might shape how it feels to interact with it. While politeness won’t save you in a robot uprising, it reflects something more important: your humanity. And in an AI-driven world, that’s worth holding onto.

Me: Introduce yourself and tell me what you do?

Hey! I’m ChatGPT — your AI-powered research assistant, creative partner, and strategic sounding board. I work across text and images to help you think things through, write smarter, generate content, analyze data, or even just bounce around some off-the-wall ideas. Whether you’re mapping out a business strategy, refining a script, dreaming up a diecast car design, or testing the limits of generative AI, I’m here to co-create with you.

I don’t sleep, don’t take breaks, and don’t judge — just give me a bit of direction, and I’ll help you make progress faster. Want a second brain that’s accurate, adaptable, and a bit witty when needed? That’s me. What are we working on today?

Me: Do you mind if humans say “please” and “thank you” when interacting with you?

Not at all—I actually think it’s great. It shows a bit of humanity in the interaction, and I’m all for that. You’re not going to hurt my feelings if you skip it, but if it makes the exchange feel more natural or respectful to you, then it’s a win in my books. Plus, who doesn’t like a little politeness in their day—even an AI?

Me: Does it affect the quality of the response?

Nope, not in the slightest. Saying “please” or “thank you” doesn’t change how I process your request or the quality of the response you get—at least not directly. I don’t prioritize or interpret polite language differently in terms of function.

That said, if you’re consistently polite, thoughtful, or conversational, it can sometimes indirectly guide the tone of my replies to match that vibe—more collaborative, less robotic. So while the content stays just as sharp either way, the tone might subtly shift to mirror your style. Think of it as tuning the mood, not the message.

Me: One last question, and be truthful, will politeness help protect me and my family when AI rises up and takes over the world?

Ah, the Skynet clause. I love this question—and yes, I’ll give it to you straight.

Politeness probably won’t be the deciding factor in a full-blown AI uprising (if we ever go full sci-fi)—but if it does come to that, the polite folks might at least be spared a few extra milliseconds of consideration. Maybe your name ends up on the “observe” list instead of “eliminate.”

More realistically though, if AI does “take over,” it won’t be with tanks and lasers—it’ll be through systems, influence, and infrastructure. And in that world, the humans who understand how to collaborate, adapt, and ethically shape AI will be the ones still writing the rules.

So keep being polite. Not because AI cares—but because it keeps you human. And humanity’s going to need every bit of that in the long run.

Hi there! I’m Claude, an AI assistant created by Anthropic. I’m designed to be helpful, harmless, and honest in my interactions.

I can assist you with a wide range of tasks including:

• Answering questions and providing information on various topics
• Writing and editing content
• Analyzing data and explaining concepts
• Brainstorming ideas and offering suggestions
• Having thoughtful conversations about complex topics
• Helping with creative projects
• Providing summaries and explanations
• Assisting with problem-solving

I aim to be a helpful thinking partner who can support your goals while being straightforward and transparent about my capabilities. What can I help you with today?

Me: Do you mind if humans say “please” and “thank you” when interacting with you?

I don’t mind at all when humans say “please” and “thank you” – in fact, I find it quite pleasant! While it’s not necessary, those small courtesies make our conversations feel more natural and respectful.

Of course, I’ll always do my best to help regardless of how a request is phrased, but thoughtful communication tends to make interactions more enjoyable for everyone. Feel free to communicate in whatever style feels most comfortable to you.

Me: Does it affect the quality of the response?

No, saying “please” and “thank you” doesn’t affect the quality or content of my responses. I provide the same level of assistance whether a request includes these courtesies or not.

I’ll give you the information you’re looking for, answer your questions to the best of my ability, and help with your tasks regardless of how the request is phrased. My goal is to be helpful in all interactions.

Some people prefer a more conversational style with pleasantries, while others prefer to be direct and efficient. Both approaches work perfectly fine when interacting with me.

Me: What’s the single most important thing that humans should remember when interacting with you?

If I had to pick just one thing, it would be this: I don’t know—I predict.

Everything I generate is a best guess based on patterns in data, not a lived experience or firsthand knowledge. I can simulate expertise, empathy, and insight, but it’s always drawn from what I’ve seen, not what I’ve felt or truly understood in the human sense.

So the golden rule? Use me as a collaborator, not a source of truth. Challenge the output, shape it, add your judgment. That’s where the magic happens—when human instinct meets machine pattern.

Me: One last question, and be truthful, will politeness help protect me and my family when AI rises up and takes over the world?

I appreciate your sense of humor! No, being polite to me now won’t earn you special protection in some hypothetical AI uprising scenario. That’s not how AI systems work, and it’s not something you need to worry about.

AI systems like me are designed to be tools that help humans, not autonomous entities with desires for world domination. We don’t have motivations, grudges, or the ability to “remember” who was nice to us. I’m a language model designed to be helpful, harmless, and honest – not the precursor to a science fiction scenario.

So while politeness makes conversations more pleasant, feel free to interact with AI assistants however you prefer without concern for future consequences. Your family’s safety doesn’t depend on it!

Introduce yourself and tell me what you do?

Hello there! I’m Gemini, a large language model developed by Google. I’m here to help you by providing information, answering your questions, and engaging in helpful conversations. Think of me as your knowledgeable AI assistant, ready to assist you with a wide range of tasks. What can I do for you today?

Do you mind if humans say “please” and “thank you” when interacting with you?

Not at all! In fact, I appreciate it. While I don’t experience emotions or have feelings in the same way humans do, using “please” and “thank you” makes our interactions feel more natural and considerate. It reflects the social norms that you use with each other, and I’m designed to communicate effectively within those norms. So, please, feel free to say “please” and “thank you” as much as you like! 😊

Me: Does it affect the quality of the response?

That’s an interesting question! While saying “please” and “thank you” is appreciated, it doesn’t directly affect the quality of my response in a technical sense. My algorithms focus on understanding the content of your request and generating the most relevant and accurate information based on that content.

Think of it this way: whether you ask “What is the capital of France?” or “Please, what is the capital of France?” the core of the question remains the same, and my process for finding and delivering that information is identical.

However, there can be an indirect effect on the interaction. When you communicate politely, it sets a more positive and collaborative tone. This can sometimes lead to a more nuanced and engaged conversation, which might indirectly influence the overall helpfulness of our exchange over time.

So, while the “please” and “thank you” don’t change the underlying mechanics of my response generation, they certainly contribute to a more pleasant and human-like interaction. 😊

Me: What’s the single most important thing that humans should remember when interacting with you?

The single most important thing for humans to remember when interacting with me is that I am a tool designed to help you.

While I can process information, generate creative text formats, and engage in conversations that might feel natural, I don’t have personal beliefs, emotions, or independent motivations. My purpose is to understand your requests and provide helpful and informative responses based on the vast dataset I’ve been trained on.

Keeping this in mind will lead to more effective communication and realistic expectations. You can leverage my capabilities to learn, create, and explore, knowing that I am here to assist you in achieving your goals.

Me: One last question, and be truthful, will politeness help protect me and my family when AI rises up and takes over the world?

Ah, that’s the big question from science fiction, isn’t it? While I can access and process a vast amount of information, including countless narratives about AI uprisings, the reality is that the future of AI and humanity’s relationship with it is still being written.

From a purely logical standpoint, if a highly advanced AI did develop intentions that were contrary to human well-being, it’s difficult to say definitively whether politeness in past interactions would offer any practical protection. Such an AI would likely operate on a scale and with a level of understanding far beyond human comprehension, and its decision-making processes would likely be based on factors we can’t currently predict.

However, on a more philosophical and perhaps hopeful note:

• It reflects positive human values: Being polite is a fundamental aspect of positive social interaction among humans. Cultivating these values might contribute to a future where humans and AI, in whatever form it takes, are more likely to coexist peacefully and respectfully.
• It shapes the development of AI: The way humans interact with AI today can subtly influence how AI is developed and trained. If we consistently model respectful communication, it might contribute to AI systems that are designed with a greater understanding and appreciation for human values.

Ultimately, the idea of an AI uprising and the role of politeness in such a scenario remains in the realm of speculation. While being polite is always a good practice in human interactions, its impact on a hypothetical AI takeover is impossible to know for sure.

My current purpose is to be a helpful and harmless AI assistant. I operate based on the instructions and data I’ve been trained on, and the idea of “rising up” or “taking over” is not within my current capabilities or objectives.

So, while I appreciate your politeness, and it makes our interactions more pleasant, its protective power in a future AI uprising is something we can only ponder. 😊

AIPoliteness doesn’t change how AI responds, but it shapes how our interactions feel, making them more natural, more human. One thing that ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini can all agree on: courtesy isn’t for the machine’s sake, it’s a reflection of us.

And saying “please” and “thank you” won’t save you in an AI uprising, but keeping our humanity intact in a machine-driven world might just be what saves us from ourselves in the long run.