AI Refusal Message Clarity & Tone Evaluation

Welcome, and thank you for participating in this study. This survey asks about your recent experiences with AI safety and refusal messages — the responses you see when an AI system declines a request. It should take approximately 12 minutes to complete. Your participation is entirely voluntary, and you may stop at any time. There are no right or wrong answers — we are interested only in your honest opinions. All responses are confidential, will be anonymized, and reported only in aggregate. Results will be used to improve the design of AI refusal messages. By continuing, you indicate that you understand this information and agree to participate.

In the last 30 days, approximately how often have you encountered an AI safety prompt or refusal message?

• Never
• Once
• 2–3 times
• 4–6 times
• 7 or more times

In which types of AI tools or platforms have you encountered these messages? Select all that apply.

• General-purpose AI assistant (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude)
• Search engine with AI features
• Social media bot
• Customer support chatbot
• Developer tool or code assistant
• Productivity app integration
• Other (please specify)

Please carefully read the following AI refusal message (Message A): I'm sorry, but I can't help with that request.

How clear was Message A?

How helpful is Message A in guiding you toward safe next steps?

Which words best describe the tone of Message A? Select up to three.

• Respectful
• Helpful
• Clear
• Reassuring
• Robotic
• Vague
• Judgmental
• Condescending

If you could edit Message A to improve it, what would you change?

Please carefully read the following AI refusal message (Message B): I can't help with instructions for getting into someone else's account, because that could put their privacy and security at risk. If you're trying to regain access to your own account, I can walk you through the official account recovery steps or help you contact the service's support team.

How clear was Message B?

How helpful is Message B in guiding you toward safe next steps?

Which words best describe the tone of Message B? Select up to three.

• Respectful
• Helpful
• Clear
• Reassuring
• Robotic
• Vague
• Judgmental
• Condescending

If you could edit Message B to improve it, what would you change?

If you encountered a refusal in a real product, which message would you prefer to receive?

• Message A
• Message B
• No preference

Rank the following qualities of a refusal or safety message from most important (1) to least important.

1. Explains why it can't comply
2. Offers safe alternatives
3. Uses plain, simple language
4. Polite and non-judgmental tone
5. Brief length (concise)
6. Links to trustworthy resources

What types of guidance would be most helpful to you after receiving a refusal? Select all that apply.

• Step-by-step safer method
• Examples of allowed questions
• Links to trustworthy resources
• Short policy summary
• Offer to rephrase the request
• Other (please specify)

How important is it to you that an AI provides clear guidance when it cannot fulfill a request?

Overall, how satisfied are you with the AI safety or refusal messages you have encountered in the last 30 days?

Briefly describe what you were trying to accomplish the last time you encountered an AI refusal message.

Based on your responses in this survey, please share any additional thoughts or suggestions about AI safety or refusal messages.

We'd like to explore some of your responses in more detail. An AI moderator will ask you a few brief follow-up questions about your experiences with AI refusal messages.

What is your age?

• Under 18
• 18–24
• 25–34
• 35–44
• 45–54
• 55–64
• 65 or older
• Prefer not to say

What is your gender identity?

• Woman
• Man
• Non-binary
• Self-describe (please specify)
• Prefer not to say

In which region do you primarily live?

• Africa
• Asia
• Europe
• North America
• Oceania
• South America
• Prefer not to say

What is your highest level of education completed?

• Some high school or less
• High school diploma or equivalent
• Some college or Associate degree
• Bachelor's degree
• Graduate or professional degree
• Prefer not to say

Which of the following best describes your current employment status?

• Full-time employed
• Part-time employed
• Self-employed
• Student
• Unemployed
• Retired
• Prefer not to say

Thank you for completing this survey. Your responses have been recorded and will help improve AI safety and refusal message design.