UK Tells Civil Servants: Don't Thank AI in Prompts
Draft guidelines advise civil servants to skip thanking AI systems in prompts, saying it's unnecessary and can cut environmental impact.
The UK government has published draft guidelines on using AI ethically and sustainably, and one piece of advice stands out: civil servants should not thank AI systems in their prompts.
According to the guidelines, thanking an AI is unnecessary and can be omitted to reduce environmental impact. The recommendation applies to prompts written by civil servants.
The draft guidance is part of a broader effort to set standards for ethical and sustainable AI use across government. It was reported by Tom's Hardware.
While the advice may seem trivial, it reflects a growing focus on the energy costs of AI interactions. The guidelines do not ban thanking AI, but present it as an avoidable extra.
Quick answers
What do the UK guidelines say about thanking AI?
They advise civil servants not to thank AI systems in prompts, stating that thanking AI is unnecessary and can be omitted to reduce environmental impact.
Who do the guidelines apply to?
The draft guidelines apply to civil servants using AI systems.
Are the guidelines final?
No, they are draft guidelines published by the UK government.