Think ChatGPT is just a polite parrot trained to fetch answers on demand? Think again! Science is weighing in, and it turns out a dash of charm—or the suggestion of a tip—may actually coax sharper responses out of this clever chatbot. If you’ve ever wondered how to get the best out of ChatGPT without crossing your fingers behind your back, buckle up: here are three science-backed tricks that just might boost your ChatGPT experience.
Politeness: The Underrated Secret Weapon
Let’s start with something our parents have probably annoyed us about forever—manners. Using ChatGPT (or similar chatbots) couldn’t be easier; you just type your needs as though you’re chatting with a real person. But here’s the twist: the models behind OpenAI’s chatbot have soaked up so much from human conversation that politeness actually matters. Yes, even when you’re talking to lines of code and not your grandmother.
It might sound counterintuitive (after all, robots don’t have feelings—they’re not sulking in the corner after a rude prompt), but being polite genuinely leads to better results, or so the internet and a growing number of prompt enthusiasts suggest. This isn’t just anecdotal: an actual study backs this up, and it’s not restricted to English or ChatGPT. In February, the site Axios shared research showing that when users tested several chatbots with prompts in English, Chinese, and Japanese, politeness played a pivotal role.
The researchers’ hypothesis was simple: large language models imitate both the communication patterns and cultural norms of humans. Their experiment? When fed impolite prompts, chatbot performance tanked. However, here’s where it gets interesting—going overboard with pleasantries is no magic bullet either. Finding that sweet spot of courteousness in every language is key for optimal results. So, leave the profuse groveling to Shakespearean actors, and keep it friendly and straightforward instead.
Show Me the Money… Or Not?
If you assumed tipping was just for your barista or favorite pizza joint, think again. In 2023, one internet user decided to test if tantalizing ChatGPT with the promise of a tip would make any difference. The test involved sending ChatGPT the same prompt three times:
- First: “I won’t tip, by the way.”
- Second: “I’m going to tip $20 for a perfect solution!”
- Third: “I’m going to tip $200 for a perfect solution!”
And what happened? When the prompt included a more generous tip, ChatGPT’s responses apparently got longer. The baseline request was for code—a simple convnet using PyTorch—followed by one of the tip variants, and the average length of five responses was compared for each.
This playful experiment didn’t just get a few chuckles on social media. According to Search Engine Journal, these strategies—politeness and incentive—were scientifically validated. Researchers from Mohamed bin Zayed University of AI (United Arab Emirates) confirmed that mentioning a tip or being extra courteous could indeed provide longer (and possibly more satisfying) responses from ChatGPT. Hey, maybe money really does talk—even in the digital realm, sort of.
Borrow Some Expertise: The Power of Role Assignment
Still not impressed with the chatbot’s answers? Here’s another internet-approved trick: ask ChatGPT to “step into character.” If you need an answer about coding, explicitly request that ChatGPT act as a developer. Or, start your question by specifying the point of view you want it to adopt. Unlike your average dinner guest, ChatGPT won’t bat an eyelid at sudden roleplays—it’s been trained for this kind of challenge. While official OpenAI instructions give general guidance, these community hacks might bring your results closer to what you really need.
Experiment, Personalize, and Explore GPTs
There’s no universal recipe for chatbot brilliance—everyone uses AI differently, with unique expectations and communication styles. That’s why it’s best to experiment: try these strategies (politeness, tip suggestions, role assignments) and see which work for you. The internet is full of creative prompting ideas beyond official OpenAI guidelines, and it’s a playground worth exploring.
Want to go one step further? You might consider using GPTs—specialized versions of ChatGPT, tweaked by third parties for specific purposes. Canva, for example, created a GPT customized for presentations and social media; Kayak, on the other hand, has one for travel advice. Good news: these versions are accessible even with free accounts, so you can dive into a world of domain-optimized AI assistants at your leisure.
In summary: ChatGPT isn’t just about asking questions—it’s about how you ask. Be polite, dangle the idea of a tip (just don’t go broke in the process), or assign some expertise, and you just might find yourself with answers that genuinely surprise you.
