Why You Should Be Polite To ChatGPT And Other AIs

New research reveals a compelling dual benefit to treating AI systems with respect: it not only ... [+] enhances our leadership abilities but also improves the quality of AI outputs.

In my latest conversation with ChatGPT, I caught myself saying "please" and "thank you." My wife, overhearing this, couldn't help but laugh at my politeness toward a machine. Had I gone too far in humanizing AI, or was I onto something more profound?

It turns out science is backing up what might seem like excessive digital courtesy. Recent research has uncovered a fascinating dual benefit to treating AI systems with respect: not only does it significantly improve the quality of AI outputs, but it also enhances our leadership capabilities in ways we're only beginning to understand.

Let's start with the performance aspect. Recent research has revealed politeness isn't just about etiquette – it measurably improves AI performance. The study, which examined AI behavior across English, Chinese, and Japanese languages, found that impolite prompts often resulted in poorer performance, including increased errors, stronger biases, and notable omissions of important information.

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