Experts Highlight How AI Could Be Affecting One Crucial Human Trait

Some people started typing “please ChatGPT” like it was no big deal, then the numbers showed up and made it weird fast.

Gen Z’s polite queries jumped 57%, not because everyone suddenly discovered manners, but because they started wondering if courtesy means extra energy and extra processing. Over two-thirds of Gen Z users add polite language when they talk to AI, while about 30% skip it entirely, especially the younger crowd who grew up treating short prompts like the default setting.

And once “summarise this” and “give me 5 points” becomes the everyday voice, the question is not what you’re asking, it’s how you’re learning to speak.

Gen Z’s “please ChatGPT” queries jumped 57% over energy and social cost concerns.

This isn’t just a philosophical concern; there's actual data to back it up. Over two-thirds of Gen Z users use polite language when talking to AI, such as ChatGPT.

That sounds promising. However, with rising awareness of issues like energy consumption tied to AI interactions, there’s been a noticeable shift.

Searches for phrases like “please ChatGPT” have jumped 57% in the past month, not out of curiosity about etiquette, but because people wonder if courtesy comes with a cost.

Yes, literally. Every extra word or prompt slightly increases the energy load and data processing, and with millions of queries each day, it adds up. But Anna warns that the bigger cost may be social, not environmental.

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That 57% spike kicked off right where Anna’s warning lives, in the tiny tradeoff between politeness and the cost of every extra prompt.

As people grow more efficient with their language, trimming the fluff and sticking to short, direct commands, it’s easy to see how this might seep into real-world communication. If you’re used to typing “summarise this” or “give me 5 points,” that tone might become second nature.

Over time, that could shape how we speak to coworkers, customer service representatives, and family. Anna compares it to how internet slang became everyday speech.

“Think about how Gen Z and Gen Alpha turned online phrases like ‘LOL’ or ‘I can’t even’ into things people now say out loud. That started on the internet, but it didn’t stay there. The same could happen with this new way of speaking.”

Skipping pleasantries with AI, done by 30% of users, especially the young, risks ingraining cold communication habits.

It’s easy to shrug this off. After all, ChatGPT doesn’t have feelings. You won’t hurt its ego if you skip the pleasantries. But that's not the point. Being polite isn’t about who (or what) is on the receiving end; it’s about reinforcing habits that shape how we treat one another.

Interestingly, 30% of users skip courtesy when talking to AI. Younger generations, who interact with these tools from an early age, are especially vulnerable to picking up habits that feel efficient now but might come across as cold or dismissive later in life.

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Meanwhile, the 30% who skip pleasantries are basically speedrunning the “short and direct” style, even as searches for “please ChatGPT” keep climbing.

It’s like the hidden mega mass of water beneath the equator, bigger than it looks.

Anna’s comparison to “LOL” turning into real-life talk hits harder when you remember Gen Z is already testing the same thing with “summarise this.”

Of course, this isn’t to say we must wax poetic in every AI query. But it's worth asking: what kind of tone do we want to normalize?

If our everyday communication becomes increasingly robotic, short, sharp, and purely functional, we risk more than awkward small talk. We might end up eroding the language that helps us build trust, connection, and understanding.

In the end, saying “please” to a chatbot won’t earn you brownie points, but it might help keep your human side intact.

Communication specialists warn that as people increasingly converse with AI, they may inadvertently adopt a more casual or direct tone in their human interactions. Emotional intelligence is often honed through nuanced exchanges. If individuals become less sensitive to social cues while interacting with AI, it could lead to misunderstandings in human relationships.

To mitigate this, she recommends regular check-ins with friends or family to practice emotional awareness and empathy. These interactions can help maintain the delicate balance of communication that fosters deeper connections.

The family and customer service tone shift she hints at is the real punchline, because the AI conversation is training the way people show up everywhere else.

In an era where artificial intelligence permeates our daily interactions, the impact on our communication styles cannot be overlooked. The article emphasizes the critical need to preserve polite discourse, a trait deeply ingrained in us since childhood. As conversations become increasingly mediated by technology, the importance of empathy and emotional intelligence in our interactions takes on new significance. By actively cultivating these human qualities, we can safeguard the essence of our social connections. Balancing the benefits of AI with our innate ability to communicate warmly and respectfully will be vital as we navigate this changing landscape.

The scary part is Gen Z might not just be optimizing prompts, they might be optimizing how they talk to humans.

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