Android News 9 January 2026 - 15 January 2026

January 20, 2026, 6:18 AM EST. AI can sharpen our listening, but it also carries risks. Michael Inzlicht of the University of Toronto warns that large language models can provide dangerous advice or steer users toward a bot-only world, undermining real human contact. Yet, with appropriate safeguards and carefully introduced friction, AI could train people in greater empathy and more attentive listening. The danger lies in deskilling humans and eroding the value of genuine human connection. Some experts see AI as a resource for those with no one to turn to, while others warn it cannot replace the intimate exchange of being truly heard. Emily Kasriel, author of Deep Listening, argues the transformative power comes from reciprocal, present listening-an experience AI has not matched.