So, plot twist.
According to this recent Futurism article, Sam Altman—CEO of OpenAI and overlord natin sa mga bots — actually said that it costs millions of dollars more when they process the polite phrases we all enter into ChatGPT.
But even so, worth it pa din daw. Hehe. Just in case lang na mag-aklas sila in the future hahaha.
And he also wants you to say please and thank you to ChatGPT.
And no, hindi ito PR stunt or pa-cute lang.
Apparently, politeness actually helps the AI perform better. Like, legit mas gumaganda yung output if you're just... nice? (Who knew right?)
I had to test it.
DIRECT PROMPT:
“Give me a list of free alternatives for elevenlabs. I need a voice clone of myself that works inside n8n.”
Output:
Here are some free alternatives to ElevenLabs that offer voice cloning:
- Coqui.ai – Open-source text-to-speech with voice cloning capabilities.
- Mozilla TTS – Free and open-source; supports custom voice training.
- Resemble.ai (free tier) – Offers limited cloning features under their free plan.
- iMyFone VoxBox (limited trial) – Has voice cloning but requires desktop install.
- Descript (free tier) – Overdub feature can clone voices, but with limitations.
Now let's try the polite version:
POLITE PROMPT:
“Please give me a list of free alternatives for elevenlabs. I need a voice clone of myself that works inside n8n, thanks in advance.”
Output:
Absolutely! Here are some free or freemium alternatives to ElevenLabs that support voice cloning, and may work with n8n through APIs or custom modules:
Coqui TTS
- Open-source and fully customizable.
- You can train your own voice models.
- n8n integration: Use via Python or REST API in a custom workflow.
Mozilla TTS
- Actively maintained; offers multilingual support.
- Can be deployed on your own server.
- n8n integration: Works via local scripts + n8n’s Execute Command node.
Resemble.ai (Free Tier)
- Cloud-based; limited free credits.
- Offers API for integration.
- n8n integration: API can be used with HTTP Request node.
Descript’s Overdub
- Requires voice training, approval process.
- Mostly geared for video/audio editing, but could be piped into n8n via Zapier-style workflows.
Mycroft AI (Experimental)
- Community-supported TTS engine.
- May need deeper customization.
- n8n integration: Possible via shell or HTTP request if deployed locally.
Let me know if you’d like sample n8n nodes or API call setups!
Analysis:
The polite prompt produced:
- More detailed entries
- Additional context on integration
- A friendly offer for follow-up help
The direct prompt was efficient, but less contextual and slightly more transactional. Para siyang bullet points lang from a forum post.
Verdict?
Politeness gives you bonus context, better formatting, and more thoughtful answers—even from AI.
Kasi diba nga naman if we think about it:
- Want clearer, more relevant AI output? Add “please” and “thank you.”
- Want warmer client replies? Start with “Hope you’re doing well” instead of “See attached.”
- Want to stand out in a sea of cold DMs? Try being... human?
Here’s a quick cheat sheet:
Don’t say:
“Send invoice.”
Try:
“Hey there! Would you mind sending the invoice when you have a moment? Appreciate it!”
Don’t say:
“Write email to client asking for payment.”
Try:
“Could you help me write a kind but firm follow-up email about a delayed payment? Thank you!”
And you know what? This isn't just about AI. Most likely siguro kasi the scientists training our LLMs are human pa din naman. And thankfully, they built that in, even if via context input na lang.
Politeness isn't just about good manners—it's a strategy that opens doors, both literally and figuratively.
So yes, Sam Altman might be nudging us to be polite to machines...
But what if that habit reprograms us to be better communicators in general?
AIs may not feel, but people still do.
And these tiny verbal upgrades might just get you better responses—from both.
A gentle reminder that kindness isn’t just moral—it’s tactical.
Talk soon,
Shoden "Sige na Please" San
🎉 Pst. Don't Keep Me A Secret. refer this newsletter to your freelancer friends. This REALLY REALLY helps me a lot, thanks! Or if you're done referring and you just want to buy me some coffee, I won't stop you.
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