AI threatens to destroy so much of our culture. Our greatest loss might be our ability to listen | Shirleene Robinson
TL;DR
Australians are conversing less every year, with a recent study showing we lost an average of 338 spoken words each day between 2005 and 2019 We talk a lot about losing our ability to write as a result of AI. I’m convinced our greatest loss might be our ability to listen. Listening to different views and entering into different worlds is integral to our humanity. But Australians are conversing less every year.
Nauti's Take
The number is useful as a warning signal, but its exact meaning remains uncertain given the thin source base. Small teams should test whether supposedly empathetic AI is replacing real conversation before adopting it: fewer follow-up questions, shorter meetings, and less tolerance for conflicting views are measurable risks.
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