Please, Thank You, and API Calls: The Surprising Dilemma of Talking to AI
Do you find yourself saying "please" when prompting ChatGPT? Or maybe adding a quick "thank you" after it delivers an answer? You're not alone. This seemingly trivial habit has sparked considerable online discussion and even caught the attention of figures like OpenAI's Sam Altman (who, according to a recent Futurism article, finds it endearing but functionally unnecessary – the AI doesn't have feelings to hurt).
But the question of AI etiquette goes far beyond whether the machine "appreciates" our manners. As large language models (LLMs) become increasingly integrated into our personal and professional lives, how we interact with them raises fascinating questions about our own psychology, our ethical frameworks, and even bottom-line business costs. Let's explore three key facets of this AI politeness paradox.
1. Are We Training Ourselves to Be Rude? The Human Conditioning Angle
One of the most compelling arguments for being polite to AI has little to do with the AI itself and everything to do with us. Politeness, respect, and courtesy are social muscles. We develop and maintain them through consistent practice in our daily interactions.
The concern is this: If we spend hours each day interacting with powerful AI tools by simply barking commands – "Generate," "Summarize," "Rewrite," "Do this now" – without the usual social softeners, could this normalize curtness? Does consistently treating a sophisticated conversational partner (even a non-sentient one) as a mere command-line interface risk degrading our own ingrained habits of politeness? Could this inadvertently make us shorter, less patient, or more demanding in our interactions with fellow humans – colleagues, customer service agents, family members? For many, maintaining politeness with AI is seen as a way to safeguard our own humanity and social graces.
2. The Golden Rule Meets Silicon: The Ethical Angle
Then there's the philosophical dimension. Does the "Golden Rule" – treat others as you would like to be treated – apply when the "other" is lines of code and data? From a purely logical standpoint, perhaps not. An AI doesn't experience respect or disrespect; it doesn't have feelings or consciousness (as far as we know!).
However, some argue that how we treat anything, sentient or not, reflects our own character and values. Choosing to interact with even a sophisticated tool respectfully might be seen as upholding a personal standard of conduct. Conversely, treating it rudely, even if consequence-free for the AI, might feel ethically dissonant to some. It forces us to question where we draw the line in applying human social and ethical norms in an increasingly technology-mediated world. Is extending courtesy simply good practice for the soul, or a category error when applied to machines?
3. Tokens, Time, and Treasure: The Efficiency & Cost Angle
This brings us to the most pragmatic, business-oriented facet of the debate. In the world of LLMs, words literally have a cost. Models process information in "tokens" (roughly corresponding to syllables or parts of words). Every word in your prompt – including "please," "thank you," "could you," "I would appreciate it if," and other conversational niceties – adds to the token count.
Why does this matter?
API Costs: For businesses using AI models via APIs (like the GPT series), costs are often calculated based on the number of input and output tokens. More tokens = higher cost per interaction. At scale, across thousands or millions of API calls, seemingly insignificant politeness could add up to real money.
Processing Time/Latency: More tokens generally require slightly more processing time, which can impact application latency and user experience.
Context Window Limits: Models have limits on the total number of tokens they can process in a single interaction (prompt + response). Unnecessary words eat into this valuable context window, potentially reducing the space available for critical instructions or information.
From a purely operational standpoint, especially when engineering prompts for automated systems or large-scale business processes, politeness can look like inefficiency – a direct trade-off against speed and cost.
Finding the Balance: Context Matters
So, should you be polite to your AI? There's no single right answer.
The human conditioning argument suggests maintaining politeness might be wise for preserving our own social skills.
The ethical argument depends on individual values regarding interaction with advanced technology.
The cost/efficiency argument clearly points towards concise, direct prompting, especially in business contexts at scale.
Perhaps the solution lies in context. Casual, personal use of ChatGPT? Politeness might feel natural and harmless (or even beneficial for personal habit). Building automated business processes or making millions of API calls? Every token counts, and efficiency likely trumps etiquette.
Ultimately, this seemingly simple question forces us to confront our evolving relationship with powerful AI tools. It pushes us to be more conscious not only of what we ask AI to do, but how we ask it, and what those choices mean for our habits, our values, and our bottom line.
What's your take? Does efficiency win, or do you find yourself thanking the chatbot anyway?