Should People Say 'Please' To A Digital Voice Assistant?

Digital voice assistants have become an increasingly active part of people's lives. Everyone who owns an Apple, Amazon or Google device have in one way or another come across or have had interactions with Siri, Alexa or Google Assistant.

A recent survey conducted by the Pew Research Center found that more than half (54%) of all people who use smart speaker, such as Apple's HomePod, Amazon's Echo Google's Home speaker, report to saying “please” to their respective digital assistants. Women are even more likely to do this compared to men: 62% of women reported to saying “please,” while only 45% of men reported so.

With that in mind, is it okay for people to be saying “please” or to talk politely with their digital assistants? Here's a quick look at some differing opinions.

Not really

Speaking with Today, Sherry Turkle, a psychologist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), said the phenomenon is “concerning.”

Turkle, whose job involves studying people's relationships with their devices, said talking to digital assistants politely and using the word “please,” for example, draws people in to the “false premise of Siri and Alexa.”

The psychologist explained that these devices, which she calls “pretend empathy objects,” don't deserve such deference. She emphasized that when people treat machines as if they were people, they allow themselves to “be fooled in this new game” that involves artificial intelligence.

She further emphasized that sadly, women are more prone to falling for it. Hopefully, people won't fall in love with Alexa now that she has feelings.

It's not bad

Emily Post Institute co-president Lizzie Post, on the other hand, told Today that it's okay. Post believes that such a behavior can “encourage” people to show more courtesy even in other areas of their lives. “It also helps us to be more polite within our own families, households and work environments when we are practicing politeness on a regular basis,” Post said.

Thomas Farley, also known as Mister Manners, emphasized that users shouldn't feel obligated to thank the devices after every command. Farley, however, agrees with Post on the idea that it's a good idea for parents to teach their kids show respect to those who contribute to the family's comfort and contentment. They can do this by teaching their children to talk politely with their smart speakers.