Can being deliberately impolite in your prompts lead to better answers from AI models like ChatGPT? Recent studies suggest that the answer isn’t straightforward. A 2025 arXiv research paper tested 50 questions rewritten across five levels of politeness and found that, in some cases, more direct or even rude prompts slightly improved the model’s accuracy. Specifically, the accuracy increased from approximately 80.8% with very polite prompts to about 84.8% with very rude ones. While the sample size was limited, the trend was consistent enough to warrant attention.

Language and Cultural Norms Influence AI Responses

However, the story is more complex when considering different languages and cultural contexts. A separate 2024 study analyzing prompts in English, Chinese, and Japanese revealed that the optimal level of politeness varies depending on the language. In some cultures, overly blunt prompts might reduce clarity or effectiveness, highlighting the importance of tailoring communication styles to cultural norms. This underscores that politeness is not universally beneficial or detrimental; its impact depends heavily on linguistic and societal factors.

The Power of Tone and Clarity in Prompt Engineering

Large Language Models (LLMs) tend to mirror the tone and wording of the prompts they receive. Clear, direct instructions often help the AI deliver more precise answers, reducing ambiguity. A 2025 publication on arXiv observed that tone alone could influence the accuracy of responses by several percentage points. Meanwhile, research from Waseda University and RIKEN AIP comparing prompts in multiple languages found that the ideal politeness level varies with culture, affecting how AI interprets user intentions.

Etiquette, Cost, and Efficiency

Interestingly, many users continue to use polite language out of habit or courtesy. According to a 2025 YouGov survey, nearly half of Americans believe that politeness benefits interactions with AI chatbots. Tech leaders like Microsoft recommend maintaining basic etiquette to set a professional tone. Nonetheless, politeness comes at a cost: each word adds to the token count, increasing computational load and energy consumption. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman highlighted that polite expressions like “please” and “thank you” can cost the company millions annually in processing expenses, especially at scale.

Getting Better Results Without Rudeness

The key to improving AI responses lies not in rudeness but in clarity and confidence. To obtain more accurate answers, especially for technical tasks like math problems or coding, concise and straightforward prompts often outperform overly polite or verbose ones. While direct prompts can enhance focus, they won’t magically transform average queries into perfect ones. Effective prompt design relies more on clarity, structure, and context than on tone alone.

Practical Tips for Effective Prompting

Ultimately, successful interaction with AI depends on being precise and purposeful. Whether adopting a polite or more direct tone, the goal should be to clearly articulate your needs. Think of tone as seasoning—important but secondary to the quality of your instructions. The most reliable way to get high-quality responses is to craft prompts that are unambiguous, well-structured, and aligned with your objectives.

Before submitting your next question, ask yourself: Am I being too polite to achieve clarity, or am I just polite enough to be understood? Balancing tone and clarity can optimize your AI interactions, enhancing both accuracy and efficiency. Remember, the ultimate secret to effective prompting is not rudeness but precision and purpose.

Ethan Cole

I'm Ethan Cole, a tech journalist with a passion for uncovering the stories behind innovation. I write about emerging technologies, startups, and the digital trends shaping our future. Read me on x.com