Should we be polite to artificial intelligence?

This story version has been formatted as an on-air script for broadcast outlets. See the original research story here.

IF YOU’VE SPOKEN TO ALEXA OR USED CHAT G-P-T, DID YOU SAY PLEASE AND THANK YOU?

NEARLY HALF OF AMERICANS SAY THAT A-I DESERVES TO BE SPOKEN TOO POLITELY – AND IT TURNS OUT THAT GEN Z ARE THE NICEST TO ROBOTS.

THAT’S ACCORDING TO A NEW SURVEY CONDUCTED BY TALKER RESEARCH WHICH FOUND THAT FOUR IN 10 AMERICANS (39%) THINK ONE DAY OUR PAST BEHAVIOR TOWARDS A-I, ALEXA, SIRI AND ALL THINGS ROBOT WILL BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT SOMEHOW.

IT FOUND THAT JUST 7 PERCENT SAY THEY WERE ‘IMPOLITE’ TO CHATBOTS – EVEN ADMITTING TO SWEARING OR BEING ABRUPT. 

INTERESTINGLY, YOUNGER GENERATIONS ARE MUCH MORE LIKELY TO BE POLITE WHEN INTERACTING WITH A-I – MORE THAN HALF OF GEN Z SAY THIS IS THEIR DEFAULT STYLE (56%).

POLITENESS DECLINES TO 52 PERCENT OF MILLENNIALS, 44 PERCENT OF GEN X AND JUST 39 PERCENT OF BOOMERS WHO SAY THEY'RE POLITE IN THEIR OWN USAGE OF A-I.

WHEN THOSE WHO DO USE MANNERS FOR A-I AND SIMILAR SERVICES WERE ASKED WHY THEY WERE MOST LIKELY TO SAY, “IT'S JUST MY WAY” (68%).

Survey methodology:

Talker Research surveyed 2,000 Americans. The survey was commissioned by Talker News and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between June 21 and June 24, 2024.