Does AI deserve to be spoken to politely? Forty-eight percent of Americans think so and Gen Z are the nicest to robots.

And manners may count for something because four in 10 Americans think one day our past behavior towards AI, Alexa, Siri and all things robot will be taken into account somehow.

Our survey examining the communication styles and approaches when using artificial technology, automated services and chatbots found nearly half adopt a polite manner and think it’s appropriate to say please and thank you. 

Twenty-five percent of the 2,000 respondents say they’re not polite but more functional when talking to a robot of some kind—they ask and expect answers but won’t add a please or thanks typically. 

AMERICA’S AI APPROACH:

I’m polite—I say hello, please and thank you and ask things nicely in general: 44%

I’m not polite but I’m to the point—I ask and expect an answer: 25%

I’m sometimes impolite—I’ll swear or be abrupt with AI: 7%

None of the above: 24%

Interestingly, younger generations are much more likely to be polite when interacting with AI:  When those who do use manners for AI and similar services were asked why they were most likely to say, “it’s just my way” (68%). 

A compassionate 29% of self-described polite users say they feel everyone deserves to be treated with manners whether human or not.

Although men and women both similarly agree that AI deserves manners, men are much more likely to feel it’s ok to be rude or swear at AI (34% men v 20% women).