You might think it’s silly to be polite with a machine. “It’s not human,” you say. Fair point — but hear me out: it’s not about the AI, it’s about me.

When I start a request with “please,” I force myself to slow down and think — I’m careful with words, I clarify what I really want. If I just bark commands, I stay in hurry, sloppy mode. That tiny ritual—taking a breath, choosing words—already cools my mood.

And when the task is done, I type “thank you.” Again, it’s not for the AI’s sake—it doesn’t feel gratitude—but for mine. It closes the loop — I feel I’ve completed a little exchange properly. Without it, everything is just open orders and unfinished business buzzing in my head. With it, I can move on.

Sure, some day AI will pretend to care. Today, it doesn’t matter. The real benefit is in me staying sane, staying human. If politeness can shift my mindset by a degree — make me calmer, more focused, more thoughtful — then it’s worth sounding old-fashioned. Try it. Say “please” and “thank you” to your next AI — don’t do it for the bot, do it for you.