AI, EQ & Communication News — 2026-10-18 (Sun) Evening News

Overview

Coverage in the past 48 hours was thin and centered on human emotional intelligence and on speaking practice and coaching. One item urged media practitioners to combine emotional intelligence with AI (3News). Others covered AI used to analyze speakers in VR, AI-native sales coaching platforms, and AI job interviews in Japan (Bioengineer.org, Analytics Insight, Yahoo! News/Sankei Shimbun).

AI that reads emotion

No notable developments. 【AI empathy and emotional intelligence】 No notable developments. 【Human EQ and skills in the AI era】 - Media practitioners were urged to embrace emotional intelligence and AI for professional growth (3News). - A self-awareness specialist in Japan, Naohiro Yoshimura, published material on "marketing that expresses your own individuality," which the headline says AI cannot replace. These figures are the company's own claims in the headline. 【Changes in conversation and relationships】 No notable developments. 【AI-written and AI-spoken language】 No notable developments.

Speaking practice and coaching

- A report says AI spots gender in how speakers move, gaze and gesture in VR, even when performance looks identical (Bioengineer.org). - A list titled "9 Best AI-Native Sales Coaching Platforms in 2026" was published (Analytics Insight). - Sankei Shimbun reported that AI job interviews, whose adoption by companies has grown tenfold, do not respond to implied meaning. The guidance for job seekers is to state the conclusion first (Yahoo! News/Sankei Shimbun).

Research and surveys

- The VR study above is the only research-related item. Its headline says AI identified gender from movement, gaze and gesture even when performance looked identical (Bioengineer.org). The headline gives no further detail. 【Japan's EQ, communication and AI】 - AI job interviews in Japan have grown to ten times as many adopting companies. The article says implied meaning does not work with them and advises job seekers to lead with the conclusion (Yahoo! News/Sankei Shimbun). - A Japanese self-awareness specialist promoted individuality-based marketing as something AI cannot substitute (Dellows News).

Statements from key figures

No notable developments. 【Integrated analysis: what is happening】 Three items share one structure: AI is being used to evaluate how people speak and present themselves, and the advice that follows is for people to adapt their own communication. In the AI interview story, job seekers are told to lead with the conclusion (Sankei Shimbun). In the VR study, AI reportedly detects gender-related patterns in movement, gaze and gesture even when performance looks identical (Bioengineer.org). Sales coaching platforms are marketed as AI-native (Analytics Insight).

Two other items frame human emotional intelligence and individuality as what remains valuable alongside or beyond AI (3News, Dellows News).

For readers, the relevant point is that evaluation by AI may reward explicit, structured communication over implied communication. The VR finding suggests such systems may pick up signals unrelated to performance, though the headline alone does not show how or with what effect. This is inference from headlines, not an established finding.

What to watch

Whether further details of the VR study show how AI-detected gender signals could affect assessment of speakers (inference). 2. Whether AI job interviews keep spreading in Japan, and whether guidance on how to answer them converges on "conclusion first" (inference). 3. Whether AI coaching and evaluation tools publish evidence of their effect on communication skills, beyond product lists and company claims (inference).