Session

What do wordsmiths and programmers have in common?

As a solutions architect, I listen to a customer describe a problem – often imprecisely, sometimes contradictorily – and find a way to articulate a solution to that problem in terms a machine can act on (i.e., code). The T&I and tech industries may seem worlds apart, but the crucial challenge – understanding what another human actually means, wants and needs before we can deliver an effective solution – feels familiar.

Today, the rise of gen AI has changed the economics of this process for everyone.

A prototype that once took me months now takes minutes. The mechanical work that used to fill most of my hours has compressed dramatically. And the market has responded. It no longer rewards the professional who labours longest or memorises the most.

So, how might we choose to respond to this changing global marketplace? How can we thrive, not just survive, as professionals in our own unique ways, while staying true to what is most important to us?

This conference asks what only humans can do. Moving from solitary backend development into a customer-facing role, I found that fluency in three languages and my two technical degrees mattered less than I expected. Rather, I had to learn to read the human behind the request. This came from experience, empathy and self-reflection – learning to listen first, to sit with ambiguity, and to resist responding before I’ve truly understood.

Through this conversation with translator and academic editor Sara Kitaoji, I hope to start building a bridge between language and IT professionals, sharing commonalities in our experiences, challenges and concerns, while debating the advantages and pitfalls of AI, the future of human work, and the changing nature of our industries.

I warmly welcome questions (technical or not!) from you in advance, so that I can tailor our conversation to the needs and concerns of language professionals.

Interviewer: Sara Kitaoji

Speaker: Jigar Mangukiya