If I remember the details correctly, the AI-like entity optimised the communication to subvocal, but his wife felt disconnected, noticed him turned away in bed whispering to the AI.
The politics of using technology in social circumstances is an emphasis for sure. I'm specifically thinking of Olhado recording Marcão's physical abuse of Novinha with his bionic eye.
Which of the books is this? I only ever read the first
It's from Xenocide. It was between Ender and Novinha.