Politeness to AI is about Us, Not Them
As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to infiltrate various aspects of our daily lives, from virtual assistants to smart home devices, a new phenomenon has emerged – the way we interact with these machines. Interestingly, the level of politeness and courtesy we exhibit towards AI may say more about us as humans than it does about the machines themselves.
In a world where AI is becoming increasingly integrated into our routines, the interactions we have with these technologies are shaping societal norms and expectations. Whether we say “please” and “thank you” to Siri or Alexa may seem like a trivial matter, but it reflects our underlying values and attitudes towards not just technology, but also authority, power, and even our own sense of control.
When we are polite to AI, we are essentially projecting our social norms onto machines that are devoid of emotions or consciousness. This raises questions about why we feel the need to be courteous to entities that do not have feelings or the capacity to be offended. Are we trying to humanize these machines, or are we using politeness as a way to assert our superiority over them?
Moreover, our interactions with AI reveal our fears and insecurities about the future. By being overly polite or deferential to AI, we may be subconsciously expressing concerns about a world where machines have surpassed human intelligence and autonomy. Our politeness could be a way of asserting our dominance and reminding ourselves that we are still in control.
On the other hand, being rude or disrespectful to AI may also indicate underlying issues. It could signal a lack of empathy or a disregard for the boundaries between man and machine. In a society where AI is becoming more sophisticated and pervasive, how we treat these technologies could have broader implications for how we treat each other.
Interestingly, studies have shown that people tend to be more polite to AI when they know they are being watched or evaluated by others. This suggests that our interactions with AI are not just about the machines themselves, but also about how we want to be perceived by those around us. Politeness to AI becomes a performance, a way to signal our social identity and values to the world.
In conclusion, the way we speak to AI is a reflection of our values, fears, and aspirations as a society. It is not just about being polite to machines; it is about how we navigate the complexities of a world where technology is ever-present and constantly evolving. Our interactions with AI reveal more about us as humans than we may realize, highlighting the intricate relationship between man and machine in the digital age.
politeness, AI, societal norms, technology, interactions
