Google Assistant Is Nicer to Users Who Say 'Please' and 'Thank You'

Everyone appreciates being spoken to politely—even your virtual home assistant. As TechCrunch reports, Google Assistant now comes with a new feature that recognizes good manners, giving different responses to users who use words like "please" and "thank you."

The feature, called "Pretty Please," is included in the latest update of the voice-activated device. When you give a command like "Hey Google, please set an alarm for tomorrow," or "please turn up the music," the assistant will respond by saying "Thanks for asking so nicely!" The feature is very similar to one Amazon added to its Echo earlier this year after data revealed that kids were being rude to Alexa.

If you don't have any desire to extend kindness to your home assistant, feel free to be as blunt as you like with your commands. Google won't judge you for being rude—but the positive reinforcement it gives for kind and thoughtful language can be a great teaching tool for kids, or adults who want to stay in the habit of practicing politeness at home.

In addition to "Pretty Please," Google Assistant has added a list of new features ahead of the holiday season. Users can now ask Google to read them 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, create specific gift lists, and talk to Santa.