Place of residence: Tirana, Albania

Position: Researcher on Interaction Design, Lecturer & PhD. Candidate, Founder of AllSafe, Cybersafety Organisation

Please describe a day in your life:

A typical day starts with my daughter, Maisy. I walk her to kindergarten every day. No matter the weather, we always walk and talk (though sometimes it feels like a monologue). It’s amazing what you can learn from kids at this age. She asks all the questions and provides all the answers, and I listen, partly because I haven’t had my coffee yet. But between the lines, it’s clear she’s smart. She gets that from her daddy. She always gives me the motivation and inspiration to start the day. Not the energy, though—that comes back only after I’ve had my coffee.

After that, my day shifts into time-sharing mode between teaching, researching, training, and consulting. I am part of the Department of Statistics and Applied Informatics at the Faculty of Economy, University of Tirana. My teaching portfolio includes courses such as Introduction to Algorithmics, Mobile Technologies, E-Commerce, and Project Management in IT. I also specialize in digital transformation and business development. Most of the time, I am based at the university, where I teach and conduct my research, but I also frequently relocate to company premises, coworking spaces, or training grounds.

The day then ends trying to put our daughter to sleep. Bedtime is a team effort with my wife, though sometimes she ends up putting us to sleep. The routine includes teddy bears, fairy tales, and my extensive Disney knowledge (yes, I’ve memorized them all). I joke about introducing Maisy to Marvel or anime, but let’s be honest – I already did. If she loses the battle to put me to sleep, I sneak in a couple more hours of work, like finally answering these interview questions Kristi has been reminding me about for days.

How many projects are you currently working on? Please describe them:

Do you know that I have never actually counted them? It’s not that I have an overwhelming number of projects piling up and waiting for me, but I do have a tendency to run multiple projects concurrently. Each project is unique, mainly small ones, but this approach helps me avoid being stuck on one type of task for too long. Instead, I can switch disciplines, shift objectives, and rewire my brain. Since you asked, here’s a short list:

Ongoing PhD studies focused on Interaction Design and Information Systems.

A series of workshops for teenagers on battling disinformation on TikTok and Instagram in collaboration with the UK Embassy in Albania.

EU-Tech Studies – A Jean Monet Module focused on Integrating European Studies into AI and Mobile Technologies courses in Master’s programs.

Trainer and mentor at WebChallenge Tirana.

Mentor at the Growpreneur Accelerator Program.

Ongoing business consulting services.

In your opinion, who is the most influential person or company in technology today, and if you could choose one app, product, or project to have been involved in, which would it be and why?

Right now, the most influential person is Elon Musk. He has the ability to capture attention and shape opinions across various domains, from the tech industry to the political landscape. This comes as no surprise because, from the beginning until now, he has consistently chosen to challenge the established status quo- and most of the time, he succeeds, particularly with Tesla and SpaceX.

If I could choose something to have been involved in, it would be the iPhone, particularly the interaction design process; Spotify, because I am always listening to music; and any GPT project happening right now.

How do you see technology evolving in the next ten years?

Do you have any easy questions? (Laughing) Actually, I had these discussions with my students during an e-commerce course about five years ago, and only a few of those predictions were even mildly correct; TikTok remains a hot topic. Now that I think of it, this is a great question to test those reasoning models that OpenAI and DeepSeek are launching concurrently. (Kristi, you just gave me the idea for my next blog post!)

It’s very difficult to predict the future of tech, especially now that we’re in such a fast-paced period of development. I believe AI will be incorporated or embedded practically everywhere. It will be sophisticated and trained to meet every requirement. We could have a “Jarvis” within the next ten years—unless we end up with an “Ultron” and are forced to pull the plug. Even so, I also think some of the main efforts are focused on creating models that don’t cost too much to train. AI requires better processors, consumes energy, and much more, so a lot of effort will certainly go into making it more economically efficient. The launch of DeepSeek and its effect on the stock market showed as much.

With advancements in hardware, increased connectivity, and greater bandwidth (let’s hope that StarLink subscription cost comes down a bit), Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, Mixed Reality, and the Metaverse will likely become more immersive and more accessible.

It’s also possible that in the next ten years, we’ll see major breakthroughs in quantum computing. Whoever achieves this first will be able to capitalize on it very quickly, and that’s a very tempting outcome.

What is the most challenging thing you had to deal with during your career?

The most difficult and challenging experience I had was when the company I worked for at the beginning of my career (about seven years ago) had to lay off a number of employees, and I was part of the process. It was nerve-wracking, but that experience gave me a whole new perspective on how a company operates and the difficult decisions that sometimes need to be made to keep it running.

On a side note, aligning people’s personal needs, expectations, and goals while pushing a project to completion is a constant challenge, one that, at times, I would be happy to remove from my backlog.

What is your next goal?

Finishing my PhD studies. (Those memes about the struggles of a PhD are true!)

If you could speak to your younger self, what advice would you give, and how does it relate to the dreams you had as a child about creating, inventing, or doing something special?

Don’t stress out for an exam or competition. The struggle is not worth it. Life is much more than that. Don’t try to be perfect or the best. Just be better than yesterday. Everybody has a special talent. Don’t try to imitate. Be unique. Be divergent.

Be curious. Always ask, “Why?” Don’t overthink it. Experiment. Fail. Don’t give up. Build a network. Collaborate. Fail again. Try again. Succeed in that order.

And just like Matthew McConaughey has said: “Your idol should be yourself in the next 10 years.” Chase him!

What tips do you have for people wanting to start in the tech world?

Learn the fundamentals. You can learn the rest when it is necessary. Focus on problem solving. Focus on global markets.

Which famous person would you like to have dinner with and why?

Masashi Kishimoto. I am a fan of Naruto and Naruto Shippuden. They had a great impact on me growing up. Masashi is one of the greatest manga artists, with a unique gift for storytelling and fictional worldbuilding. His interconnected and complex story arcs have brought to life many relatable and iconic characters.

Where would you like to travel next?

Japan. To meet Masashi Sensei.