Merging Minds

In this episode of Merging Minds, Javi Diaz interviews Cecilia Maldonado, an inspiring leader in the localization industry. Cecilia shares her journey from translator to entrepreneur, her experiences balancing family and career, and her passion for empowering women through the organization Women in Localization. Discover insights on leadership, personal growth, and creating change in the localizat...

In this episode of Merging Minds, Javi sits down with David Brackett, a millennial leader and entrepreneur, to explore his fascinating journey in leadership and company culture. David shares his experiences as a certified interpreter, a tour guide, and a company founder, giving us an inside look at the challenges and triumphs along the way. The discussion highlights the importance of maintaining a...

I've rarely seen a session at the ATA (American Translators Association) with the level of audience engagement we witnessed in this talk at ATA 52 in Portland—it was incredible! With a packed room and people standing all around, it was clear that the topic of fair pay in the age of AI is crucial for translators. As AI tools improve and reduce the need for edits, translators are left with important...

Join Javi as he interviews Charles Campbell, a veteran in the localization industry with over 25 years of experience. Charles shares his inspiring journey from New Zealand to Argentina and his deep-rooted passion for the translation and localization field. From his company TBO's expansion across five countries to the future of AI in the industry, Charles brings a unique perspective on bridging cul...

In this episode of Merging Minds, Javi sits down with Katell Jentreau, Senior Director of Globalization at Expedia Group, to discuss her leadership journey through the fast-paced world of tech. From her early days in localization to leading teams at Netflix, Yahoo, and Box, Katell shares her insights on managing global teams, balancing work and life, and the evolving role of leadership in today's...

In this episode of Merging Minds , host Javi chats with Brian McConnell, founder of Location Technology Partners, about the power of proactive localization and the role of AI in the industry. Brian shares his journey from Silicon Valley to building a startup and offers insights on how startups can effectively navigate global growth. Discover the impact of AI, training, and forward-thinking strateg...

In this episode of Merging Minds, Javi sits down with Naho Inuyama, Principal Program Manager at Atlassian, to explore her dynamic journey from Japan to the U.S. and Amsterdam, navigating the challenges of leadership in the localization industry. Naho shares insights into how millennials like herself are redefining leadership, embracing flexibility, empathy, and adaptability in today’s globalized,...

In this episode of Merging Minds , we explore the entrepreneurial journey of Kristy Sakai, CEO of We Are Very (formerly Supertext), a top multilingual content creation and localization agency.  Kristy shares her experiences growing up across three continents, leading the rebranding of her company, and navigating the evolving landscape of AI in content creation and localization.  From her early lif...

In this episode of Merging Minds, we chat with Jochen Hummel, co-founder of Trados, the tool that changed the translation industry. The big question? "The CAT Tool: Could the creator also be the killer?"—and Jochen's got some bold thoughts! Join us as Jochen shares: - How he co-founded Trados and its impact on the translation industry. - Why he believes it’s time to move beyond CAT tools. - His pe...

We were thrilled to welcome Carrie Fischer as our guest this week! With an impressive career that includes roles at top companies like Disney, Oracle, and Subway, Carrie shared her incredible journey with us.  Here’s a glimpse of what we covered: Insights into guiding teams and fostering growth.  The vital role of empathy in our profession.  Tips for leaders and the importance of having a support...

It is the question everyone is asking about AI- Can we handle it? Such a powerful tool requires us to be responsible in the ways we use it, and we are all wondering if we are up to the challenge. In this episode of Merging Minds, Gabriel speaks with an expert on these questions. Harish Arunachalam is an expert on responsible AI development and is a Principal Data Scientist in Responsible AI at Ver...

On this week's show, Javi welcomes a true heavy hitter in the world of localization. Chris Dell found his way into localization through writing, publishing, and translation, and he spent the last 15 years building Booking.com into a corporation of over 15,000 people.     Freshly "retired," Chris is reconnecting with old passions and starting new projects. In the episode, he and Javi discuss:     -...

Can AI translate better than humans? Can I trust AI? Is my data safe? Christopher Penn, co-founder of truthinsights.ai , answers all of these questions and more on this week's episode of Merging Minds. Gabriel and Chris discuss what is real vs. what is hype in terms of security, AI adoption, LLMs, and the changing landscape of knowledge work in the age of AI. They discuss: LLAMA 3.1: Blowing the d...

This week, Javi welcomes his good friend Mirko Plitt to the show. Mirko is a computational linguist by trade, but has filled a vast number of roles across the localization industry and in NGOs. Currently working for the WHO, Mirko is looking to fulfill the dream of localization: Bringing important and impactful content to global audiences in the most relevant way. Tune in to hear him and Javi disc...

Should we be polite to AI tools? After all, they aren't humans. Still, something feels wrong about being rude. Merging Minds host Gabriel Fairman and Professor Ali Hasan discuss why this is on the latest episode of Merging Minds. They also discuss: Applications of philosophy in AI development How to know if something is true AI hijacking rational perspectives How to know that we have consciousness...

Ludmila Golovine has wanted to be a translator since she was 12, dreaming of having more stories to read from behind the Iron Curtain. Years later, she founded MasterWord services and facilitated the global spread of written material. Over 30 years after founding her company, Ludmila sits down with Merging Minds host Javi Diaz and talks about her experiences turned her into the business powerhouse...

AI can make us feel like the opportunities to be creative are drying up. For those in creative professions, this is a double threat. With our identities and livelihoods being challenged by new tech, how can we escape the mindset of scarcity and use that tech to take our creativity and careers to the next level? Jesse Showalter has some answers to these questions. Jesse is a UI/UX designer and educ...

Today we have a legend on Merging Minds! He is perhaps the biggest name in the world of freelance translation and he is an idol to anyone making content in the localization industry. He is Adrian Probst, the man behind the Freelanceverse Youtube channel! Adrian has been creating content on Youtube for 4 years now, and he has 250+ videos and over 32k followers. His videos cover everything from how...

Economic models don't explain human generosity, but when you look around altruism is everywhere. Is that because generosity is a deviation from the model, or because the model is a deviation from reality? In a world of technology, models, formulas, and algorithms, what makes us truly human? It makes sense that this week's Merging Minds covers economics, altruism, faith, and AI because this week's...

Merging Minds Host Javi Diaz has done the impossible- He has interviewed the interviewer! Tucker Johnson is well-known in our industry for interviewing the biggest names on his podcast, but today Javi has him in the hot seat! Tucker is a co-founder of Nimdzi Insights and an all-around source of wisdom and knowledge in LOC. On the show, he and Javi discuss: Founding Nimdzi Insights Meeting Differen...

Why do many translators see AI as a threat? Part of it has to do with a threat to their income, and part of it likely has to do with a threat to their purpose, says Dr. Andrew Richmond. Dr. Richmond is a cognitive science researcher who blends methods from philosophy and psychology to study scientific reasoning. In this conversation, Merging Minds host Gabriel Fairman and Dr. Richmond discuss how...

Wada'a Fahel is one of localization's biggest superstars, but she didn't grow up wanted to be a LOC leader. Like so many of LOC's best and brightest, she stumbled her way into the industry and then climbed her way to the top. Join Wada'a and Merging Minds host Javi Diaz as the discuss Wada'a's story and how she went from a small Italian company to some of the world's biggest companies like Harley...

Our jobs were very different 200 years ago.  Even 100 years ago they were nothing like they are today. The nature of our work is constantly evolving, and we need to continuously discuss how to evolve along with it. Join our Merging Minds host Gabriel Fairman as he has this exact discussion with Adrian Schreyer, a leader and interdisciplinary scientist who is currently working with AI to develop ph...

Kathleen Bostick went from being the most senior woman in the Railroad Industry to being a complete beginner in Localization. Why? Because she doesn’t like being bored. Being a beginner and learning new things always beats a fancy title for Kathleen, but it didn’t take her too long to climb the ranks in a new industry as well. Now, she is one of the most influential names in Localization. Join Kat...

How is AI transforming the translation industry? Do these tools impact our income? Are they a threat or an opportunity?   These are the questions that Bureau Works' CEO Gabriel Fairman discusses in his quick solo episode of Merging Minds, where he focuses on some of the economic changes that the AI revolution will bring to the translation space.   Join Gabriel for a discussion about AI, tech revol...