Be Polite To AI. Your Future Self Will Thank You

Back when I was in college, I took an ethics class that stayed with me. Specifically, the teachings of Immanuel Kant made an indelible impact. As a philosopher, Kant is “kind of a big deal,” to quote Ron Burgundy, another individual with an outsized cultural effect.

Kant is best known for his thoughts on unconditional moral obligations, which he called categorical imperatives. These are moral laws people must follow—no matter the…