The UK government’s draft AI guidance advises staff to avoid unnecessary chatbot exchanges, including thank-you messages, and to keep prompts concise. It is practical advice in a document marked draft—not a new rule for every civil servant—and it gives no figure for the energy saved by skipping one message.
What the draft actually advises
The AI Knowledge Hub’s Using AI ethically and sustainably page presents its advice as a starting point, not comprehensive guidance or legal advice. It tells staff to check their own department’s AI policies.
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In its efficiency section, the page says staff “you don’t need to say thankyou” to a chatbot. That line is an example of its broader recommendation to use as few prompts as possible—not a standalone ban on polite language. The page also advises users to:
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- Consider whether AI is needed at all; a spreadsheet or search engine may be more suitable for a simple task.
- “keep your prompts short, clear and direct.”
- Choose “the smallest one which will do what you need” when they have a choice of models.
- Use as few prompts as possible to complete the task.
The draft illustrates model choice with Gemini Flash rather than Gemini Pro and GPT Instant rather than GPT Thinking. Those are examples on the draft page, not enduring product recommendations. It says users cannot change the model used by Microsoft Copilot.
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- Author: SanFranciscoWriters'Grotto.
- Publisher: ChronicleBooks
- Pages: 304
- Publication Date: 2012
- Binding: Office Product
Does skipping a thank-you message save a measurable amount of energy?
The draft says AI uses more energy and resources than standard tools, but it does not quantify the energy, emissions, water or cost associated with an individual thank-you message—or the saving from omitting one. There is no supported per-message figure to apply to a staff member or to government-wide use.
The broader Data and AI Ethics Framework identifies possible environmental measures such as energy consumption in kilowatt-hours (kWh), carbon footprint and water consumption. It also cautions that environmental effects can be difficult to capture comprehensively; a set of metrics may leave out wider impacts, including water use or effects on local communities. These are measurement categories and caveats, not findings about chatbot courtesies.
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What staff still need to check
Efficiency does not replace responsible use. The draft warns that generative AI can produce false, biased or unfair material that appears correct. It asks staff to review outputs for accuracy, equal treatment, stereotypes or discriminatory language, and accessibility, and to apply their own judgement.
It also says to use systems provided by the department for government work and not to put personal or identifiable information into AI systems. Staff should be transparent about AI assistance, explain AI-assisted decisions where relevant, and remember the page’s explicit statement: “You are responsible for any content or decisions you make using AI.”
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Is this a new rule for all UK civil servants?
No. The AI Knowledge Hub page is explicitly marked draft and directs users to their department’s policies. The practical advice is to avoid unnecessary exchanges and choose an appropriately capable, efficient tool within the systems and rules available to you—not to ignore departmental requirements for the sake of shorter prompts.
A separate GOV.UK page, Guidance to civil servants on use of generative AI, is marked superseded. It is historical context, not the current operative guidance.
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