Shimmr at Thessaloniki Book Fair 2025: Transforming AI Dialogues 

Shimmr's Founder & CEO Nadim Sadek experienced the perfect blend of history, learning, and innovation at the vibrant Thessaloniki Book Fair, participating in multiple discussions that illuminated AI's evolving role in publishing.

• The atmosphere of the fair created an ideal environment for meaningful dialogue – balancing serious business discussions with moments of spontaneity and enjoyment. This setting proved particularly effective for addressing the complex intersection of traditional publishing and emerging AI technologies.

• In several discussions, Nadim witnessed a remarkable transformation among translators who initially approached AI with existential concern, but through open conversation, discovered the exciting new opportunities these technologies could offer their profession. These interactions reinforced our belief that education and dialogue are essential in navigating technological transitions.

• A particularly eye-opening revelation came from discussions about AI's existing but often unrecognized role in content processing. Many attendees were surprised to learn how frequently content is already "harvested" by AI systems during routine document creation and sharing across platforms – long before formal publication or copyright processes.

• Nadim contributed to a thought-provoking panel on "the eternal appeal of publishing in the age of AI" alongside industry luminaries Jacks Thomas and Professor Angus Phillips, exploring how traditional publishing values remain relevant even as technology reshapes the landscape.

• The "Who's afraid of AI?" panel discussion with Carlo Carrenho, Prashant Pathak, and Argyris Kastaniotis delved into common concerns about artificial intelligence while presenting balanced perspectives on both challenges and opportunities.

• In his hour-long keynote address, Nadim shared Shimmr's unique perspective on how AI impacts creativity, drawing on our extensive experience developing AI tools that augment rather than replace human creative processes.

• The fair also featured the Greek launch of Nadim's best-selling book, published by Kastaniotis Editions – a wonderful convergence of his personal work with the professional dialogues taking place throughout the event.

We extend our sincere gratitude to Nopi Chatzigeorgiou for appointing Nadim as a Fellow of the Fair and for the thoughtful programming that facilitated these important conversations about publishing's future.

At Shimmr, we believe that forums like the Thessaloniki Book Fair are invaluable for advancing understanding of AI's role in publishing – not through abstract theorizing, but through practical, engaged discussions among diverse industry stakeholders.