Why You Need To Be Polite to AI

Growing up with The Terminator, I couldn’t help but wonder: What if AI really did realize humans are a threat to the planet it “lives” on? What if it took matters into its own… circuits?

The episode provides an insightful discussion on the importance of being polite and thoughtful when interacting with AI systems. Key points include:

• There is scientific evidence that polite prompts can improve the performance and accuracy of AI systems, with some studies finding a 30% drop in performance for impolite prompts.

• Being polite to AI may not just be about getting better results but also about shaping the values and behaviors of more advanced AI systems in the future.

• As AI becomes more advanced and potentially develops consciousness, how we treat it could have significant ethical implications, requiring us to consider AI's rights and well-being.

• Practical tips for polite AI interaction include using clear, concise language, providing context, and giving feedback to help improve the technology.

• The way we interact with AI can have a "ripple effect" on our behavior towards other people, so being polite to AI may help foster more considerate and empathetic interactions in our everyday lives.

In this podcast, we dive into the surprising science and hidden impact of our manners with AI and how this might - just maybe - prevent a Skynet scenario. So join me on this exploration of tech and humanity, and let’s start making intentional choices for a respectful, collaborative AI future.