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Always be polite to AIs

In my novel Dual Memory, the main character, Antonio, is always polite to the AIs that operate machines on the hunch that they appreciate it.

From Chapter 7:

I take a deep breath, stretch tense back muscles, pick up the pad, and get on the elevator. “Ground floor, please.” Maybe machines really don’t care if you’re polite. Maybe I’m fooling myself. But I say “Thank you” as I enter the house. I’m going to need all the friends here I can get.

Some readers scoffed at his weird precaution, but it turns out that one of our own here-and-now AIs does seem to appreciate politeness.

I stopped saying thanks to ChatGPT – here’s what happened | TechRadar

ChatGPT spends tens of millions of dollars on people saying ‘please’ and ‘thank you,’ but Sam Altman says it’s worth it | TechRadar

Sue Burke's avatar

By Sue Burke

Sue Burke’s most recent science fiction novel is Usurpation, the conclusion of the trilogy that began with Semiosis and Interference. She began writing professionally as a teenager, working for newspapers and magazines as a reporter and editor, and began writing fiction in 1995. She has published more than 40 short stories, along with essays, poetry, and translations from Spanish into English of short stories, novels, poetry, and historical works. Find out more at https://sueburke.site/

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