YT37 | This Asian educates us about  AI and opens up about Western upbringing, and being a father as a tech leader 

What does it mean to be an Asian from the West? Is AI a friend or foe to our future jobs, our families and our children? A single father and a tech leader? 

In this episode of YanaTV, Judd Sanchez, CEO of YCP Digital Transformation, demystifies Artificial Intelligence, not as a job displacer, but as bringing forward job creation and innovation. But this episode offers more than an exploration of AI’s transformative power. Judd opens up about the challenges and joys of being a single father in today’s fast-paced world. From the intuitive grasp his twin boys have on technology to teaching them the values he holds dear, Judd’s story is a testament to the strength found in vulnerability and the unbreakable bonds of family.

Tune in for a journey that explores the transformative power of AI and the profound joys and challenges of parenthood, all woven into a narrative that celebrates human resilience and creativity!

Discussion Topics: This Asian educates us about  AI and opens up about Western upbringing

• Is Your Job Safe in the Age of AI? A deep dive into the reality of AI in the workforce—does it really take away jobs, or is it creating new opportunities?
• Embracing AI for Career Growth: Where to Start? Practical advice for professionals on how to leverage AI for career advancement, highlighting the importance of continuous learning and adaptability.
• The Future of Small Businesses with AI – Explore how AI technology is leveling the playing field for small businesses in Southeast Asia, enabling them to compete on a larger scale.
• Preparing the Next Generation for an AI-Driven World – Insights on raising children in an era dominated by AI, emphasizing the importance of balancing technology use with human values and creativity.
• How Did a Childhood Across Continents Shape a Future AI Leader? Begin the journey with Judd Sanchez as he shares his unique upbringing across Hawaii, Italy, and the U.S., and how it prepared him for a leadership role in the digital age.
• The Leap from Corporate America to Startup Dreams in Asia – Discover the pivotal decision that led Judd to leave a comfortable life in Los Angeles for the bustling innovation landscape of Singapore.
• How Does a Western-Trained Asian Find His Footing? Learn about the cultural adjustments and revelations Judd experienced, blending Western perspectives with Asian sensibilities in business and technology.
• Balancing Acts: AI, Work, and Family Life – Judd opens up about managing a successful career in AI while being a devoted father, offering a rare look at the personal life of a tech leader.
• Wrapping up

Transcript: This Asian educates us about  AI and opens up about Western upbringing

Judd: AI is more of a job creator. Mm-Hmm. than a job displacer. Right. It’s not taking jobs away. What it’s really doing, it’s, it’s actually creating additional jobs that are running in parallel with ai. It’s almost like I would tell you, like, think about the auto industry, okay? When the, the car first came around, all of a sudden now it’s displaced.

A bunch of people that were driving horse, the horse-drawn carriages, so that sort of went away. But it created a whole new industry with many, many jobs around that. Auto-mechanics garages, you know, OEM manufacturers people making tires. So there’s so much more to come from AI It’s gonna create additional jobs and it’s really meant to work alongside The human as opposed to being something that’s gonna take away from it​

Yana: Welcome to YanaTV. Today we will have a conversation about future of work in Southeast Asia and the buzz around the AI and how it is going to contribute to the workplace. Our very special guest is Judd Sanchez, who is CEO and managing partner of YCP Digital Transformation, an advisory firm which is focusing on IPEC. This is such a, uh, exciting and scary for many people conversation and I’m glad we are having it today.

Judd: It’s, you know, it’s interesting though, but AI is not that, uh, everyone thinks of it as some sort of a villain. Like the People do right? Like the Skynet villain in, uh, the Terminator movies. But it’s not like that. Actually, I think the way to think about AI, it’s more of a, I would say, a helpful tool. A powerful tool that humans can use to get rid of all those tasks that they don’t want to do. It actually enables them to be able to focus on the things that they want to spend time on more, like problem solving, being more creative, things of that nature.

Yana: What about the fear that people have, and rightfully so we could say, because there are many examples in business right now where a company already laying off a lot of people because AI comes on board, and then they just I think that they’re going to be replaced by AI. 

Judd: AI is more of a job creator. Mm-Hmm. than a job displacer. Right. It’s not taking jobs away. What it’s really doing, it’s, it’s actually creating additional jobs that are running in parallel with ai. It’s almost like I would tell you, like, think about the auto industry, okay? When the, the car first came around, all of a sudden now it’s displaced.

A bunch of people that were driving horse, the horse-drawn carriages, so that sort of went away. But it created a whole new industry with many, many jobs around that. Auto-mechanics garages, you know, OEM manufacturers people making tires. So there’s so much more to come from AI It’s gonna create additional jobs and it’s really meant to work alongside The human as opposed to being something that’s gonna take away from it

Yana: And just to continue maybe on this question for people who actually worried about their jobs right now. So what advice would you give.

Judd: I would say, first of all, embrace A. I. Artificial intelligence is here. Uh, you might as well take advantage and learn. I would say, invest in continuous learning. Um, look at those jobs that, um, that work alongside A. I. And those types of things are, um, things that involve the human touch, right? So work that involves creativity, jobs that involve being empathetic, leadership jobs, So key things would be sales, um, user experience design, project management. I would invest time and resources into getting up to speed in that so that you can work along AI, which is not going anywhere.

Yana: Clearly, it is expanding more and more right now. And since we are focusing here on Asia, on YanaTV, I’m curious, how do you feel AI will impact specifically maybe Southeast Asia in the workplace? 

Judd: Well, it’s, it’s a global phenomenon, right? Like I would say if we want to talk about, um, Asia or even Singapore, uh, consider Singapore right now and how we, we work with, uh, um, the food delivery. Food delivery is an integral part of everyday life here in Singapore, right? Um, behind all that, AI has totally revolutionized that whole industry. take for example, imagine if you were to order, uh, a meal.

Like you’re ordering a delicious meal on one of your food delivery apps. Right? Working AI algorithm that’s making sure that, one, they’re looking at the real time traffic patterns. They’re looking at the weather conditions. They’re looking at driver availability, all of that’s being done to make sure that you have a seamless experience as the customer and get your food in an optimum amount of time. Right? If you didn’t have AI, you’d be eating cold food.

Yana: Well, I’m glad we do have any. I love my hot pizzas, so that’s for sure. Um, small businesses. How do you feel? AI is impacting small businesses again, maybe specifically in this part of the world. And is it? Is it helping or not? 

Judd: they’re leveraging AI to optimize their, their operational processes. Right. So they’re getting rid of the redundant processes, things that are, are very time consuming or tedious, turning that over to AI. And now they’ll be able to focus on things to help grow their business. They’re also looking into things like, um, customer buying behavior. So they can come up with more personal strategies on how to address individual, uh, customer buying needs. It’s a great way to level the playing field so that smaller businesses can compete on a bigger scale.

Yana: When we talk about business, I mean, of course, business owners always focus on the cost and profit, right? This is the foundation of business and again, medium sized business, big sized business. It’s a certain budgets which are being allocated to different things. And if you put a I as a category where money is allocated, I’m just kind of wondering for small businesses, like, do you think it is cost effective to invest in the eye? Okay, I want to grow my business. So what should they focus on?

Judd: Sure. I think the important thing there is that it’s all about investing at your pace, right? So when you look at AI or digital transformation, it’s, it’s a whole ocean out there that you could boil. Uh, firms like, like us, so YCP, what we would do, for example, is we would come in and we would do an AI readiness assessment. We’d take a look at your current state of your business, help identify the technology that best fits your company and your objectives. But then we’ll also put in place a dashboard or system so that you can monitor the success of those digital initiatives of those operational improvements that A. I. Is making to make sure you’re getting a good return on your investment. I think that’s how even smaller companies can win and scale their business to compete with the bigger players.

Yana: I love that. Now that you described this, I feel every company should use the services of digital, you know, advisory like you guys are doing and actually get on board because, as you said, probably vision may be next. Because, say, two or three years, AI will entirely change the workplace and the way how things are done. 

Judd: Yes, definitely. There’s so many changes happening in terms of AI and how it’s changing the future workforce. Humans will be collaborating seamlessly with AI. Right? Working hand in hand so that A. I. Is essentially doing all the things that we may not want to do so that we can now focus on the things that we enjoy the parts of the job that involve the human touch. Things that involve creativity, innovation, empathy. 

Yana: Well, you know, when it comes to the interviews and talk shows, I don’t think a robot can do this. So I feel relatively safe in this place. But then, as you said, human touch human connection. But then there are certain things, you know, could be optimized on a post production. And I look at, how things feel like eight years ago when we were doing it and how much more expensive and lengthy the post production process was. It is much shorter and much more affordable right now. So I mean, I definitely can see the benefits how AI is working and I just hope that humans can embrace it in the best way possible.

Um, probably it was like at the beginning of the Internet, right? When people, some people like that. Some people didn’t like that. But now eventually we are all in Internet, whether they like it or not. So eventually everyone will be a I will be part of our life, whether they like it or not. And so what do you think for people? Everyone else. How can we get ready to it already?

Judd: I think the best way to do it is really just one, like we said before, is just to embrace it. It’s here, it’s not going anywhere, it’s only going to proliferate more and there’s going to be more AI and there’s going to be more uses of it get that knowledge that’s going to be required to be able to work along AI so that you maintain your value. Right. It’s not going to displace workers, it’ll eliminate jobs that are redundant, mundane, uh, just time consuming and allow you to focus on the things that you really want to focus on.

I think that’s the best part of AI. So long story short, invest in understanding AI, look for ways that you can work alongside it, become a data scientist. There’s programs now where you can become a data scientist in like six months.

Yana: Children, and I know you’re a father to two kids, right? You have two boys.

Judd: I have twin boys, seven years old, Tristan and Radin.

Yana: Beautiful. So when you look at the next generation and kids, and maybe especially with AI conversation. So they are now growing up with the AI. So what, what do you see there happening for them and the way how they perceive the world?

Judd: this is like the iPad, the device generation. I mean, my boys, they pick up an iPad and they just know naturally how to work it. It’s like so intuitive for them. I think the important part for kids is like one is technology is always, technology is going to be there, right? It’s better to embrace it and figure out how to work alongside it rather than to pretend like all these advancements we’ve had over the last 20 years don’t exist, right? So for my kids, um, you know, they’ve got device time. Obviously, you know, we’re still limiting how much time they can use on the devices. But it’s good for them to learn how to operate and how to, um, maneuver on these devices. Right? Like, I wouldn’t want that to be something for them that is foreign.

Yana: From, if I may ask, from what age did you actually give them devices that you felt that they should start 

Judd: that was, I mean, that’s more recent. I mean, literally, probably just over the last year. Okay, there’s

Yana: are

Judd: That’s right, there’s seven. So it’s

Yana: about, it’s about, basically when you go to school, and I mean, now you get computer pretty much when you go to school. And at the same time, it’s now kids are learning about AI. from the day one So it kind of comes together with the education. 

Judd: Right. Before that, it should just be all about play and being a kid.

Yana: kid. I love that. Which then brings me to the conversation about you as a kid because I know a little bit about your story and I just would like you to share with us here that you are not from Singapore. Is it correct? So you were born in?

Judd: in? I was born in Hawaii but my dad was in the Navy, so we moved to Italy. Uh, so I was in Naples, Italy until I was about 12 years old, and then I moved back to the U.S. went to university at the, I went to the Air Force Academy. And then lived in, um, in Los Angeles for about 15 years before I moved out to Singapore.

Yana: And your parents are originally from?

Judd: originally from the Philippines.

Yana: Okay, so from Philippines to Hawaii, and then Europe, and then U. S., and then back to Asia. I’m also curious about your entire, like, military upbringing.

Judd: I thought it was great. Well, one, the travel. Mm hmm. Travel’s great. Meeting lots of new people. My dad was in the Navy. He was part of NATO, so we were That’s why we were in Naples. You got to meet lots of interesting people, both locals and people from all over the world. Um, and then just moving, moving around, I thought that that was great. You always get a fresh start. Uh, it was a nice way to reinvent yourself.

You know, like, you go, you attend a school and you do something wrong and you’re like, now you’re that guy that peed, that peed in his pants. Or whatever it is. But, you know, you can learn from these things and then you move to your next location. You’re like, yeah, I remember those guys. They did some cool stuff. I’m gonna do that instead. 

And I think that those experiences, um, I’ll take that with me everywhere. I find it very easy to make friends because I’m not so set in, in that one piece, but at the same time on the friends topic, like I don’t have friends, I have family, right? So the friends that I make. very, very close to these people. And even before, you know, Facebook and MySpace and all those things came around, um, all of the friends I made throughout the world, I’m still very, very close with. Right. And that’s, I think an important part as well is you learn to value good people and you learn to value the friendships. So that’s kind of defined who I am.

Yana: What kind of qualities do you feel that your upbringing developed in you, especially because of the military background and also the diversity of people and moving around. 

Judd: I mean, a lot of things. I think for one, it was, uh, it was difficult growing up in the U. S. as an Asian kid. Right? So that was very different because, Well, okay. So growing up, I was 12 years in, in Italy and actually I didn’t know that I was different 

Yana: You didn’t realize you were not Italian.

Judd: didn’t know. I thought that everyone just kind of were the same. Like color would just wasn’t a thing. And then I moved to, um, the U. S. And, you know, one of my first days there, like, someone called me a name. And I was like, okay, I’ve never heard that before. So I just went about my business, went home, I talked to my dad and said, Hey dad, this kid in class called me this name. And he’s like, oh, that’s not a good kid. You go back and you punch him in the face. And I was like, okay, well dad knows the right

Yana: Dad knows what to do the right thing, right?

Judd: And so I went back and I am not, I’m not supporting violence of any sort, but I did go back to class, the kid did it again, punched him in the face, and then I became the hero to all the other kids. So, bullying is a big topic, I think it’s a disgusting thing, but sometimes you need people to step up and do the right thing, right?

Yana: thing, right? Yes, absolutely. Okay, so you were growing up in the U. S. as an Asian kid, and I guess maybe with the bullying and discrimination that comes along the way that I think people experience, and then you have to develop this resilience and figure out who you are. Um, and then what happened?

Judd: Well, as part of that is you also, uh, you find very, very good people. Right? And then that’s what I kind of held on to. It’s like those friendships that I’ve had and I made during that time. I mean, I’m still friends with these guys now. There’s good people all over the world, you’re always going to find these issues, there’s racism, there’s all of these things, but you don’t have to embrace that. You can embrace the other part. 

Yana: It feels to me that you really know how to build friendships and relationships. And what is the advice to people to build this solid friendship?

Judd: I don’t expect anything from my friends other than loyalty, which I give them, right? I mean, it’s not, it’s really not, not much to

Yana: do we define loyalty? 

Judd: Well, there’s a couple of different ones, right? Like I’ve got some friends that they’re the ones who knows they know where the bodies are buried, right? And then the other thing is just, you know, being respectful, right? Being loyal to a friend means that, you know, there’s not a lot of, uh, You support them in whatever it is that they need, right? I think just being there for someone in that way will show and demonstrates, uh, you know, how strong a friend you can be. I mean, those are the kind of people that I want in my life. 

Yana: I love that.

Judd: That’s right.

Yana: Why did you come to Asia?

Judd: Well, I actually came here kicking and screaming, so I moved out here. I was with a company called SAP. I was living in Los Angeles, living an amazing life.It had nothing to do with coming to Asia, it had nothing to do with Singapore, it’s just that Los Angeles was amazing and I didn’t want to leave. So I came out, they said, you need to come out there, you need to stay for at least two years. So I came out, I stayed for two years, and it was time to go back, I’m like, I would like to extend for another year, right? And then,

Yana: Why was that?

Judd: It’s uh, there’s a couple reasons. Um, I came into Singapore at a time when a lot of expats dropped in. Uh, what’s very unique about that is people who are expats are, they sort of have this type A personality. I find myself here in 2008 with a bunch of like minded people, um, and it was just very easy to, to make friends. Right. And when you’re out here, your friends here become your family because your family is, you know, hundreds of thousands of miles away.

Right. So, um, I thought that part was amazing. And I really enjoyed being in Singapore because of that. So for me, that was one thing that changed. Um, it was very easy to travel. I mean, back in the day they would, they would send you these, uh, these emails saying, hey, you can go to Phuket for 15, dollars right? So you know, your friends get together, you just jump on a plane.

And because everyone is here at the time without families, we would just jump on a plane, go somewhere in Southeast Asia, have a great time, come back to a very safe and clean Singapore, which I loved. And, you know, and then I had my kids, right? I got married, had kids here, and there is no place in the world I would rather raise my children in Singapore, I don’t have to worry about my children. I don’t have to worry about, are they safe? If I turn quickly to look at something at a store, is someone going to grab them? Don’t have to deal with that. It’s not no crime here, it’s very, very low crime though. And when it comes to kids, it’s like the safest place you could possibly be to raise your kids.

Yana: may I ask you? So you’re your partner. Will you? She’s from

Judd: Um,

Yana: The mother of your

Judd: ex wife, the mother of my children is from, uh, KL. But she’s British and 

Yana: So, they’re mixed kids. this is the third generation of this mixed children culture, really. Right. And so, how do you feel is that going for them? Do they identify as Thai, British, uh, Filipino, Singaporean?

Judd: Yeah, they, my kids identify as Singaporean. Okay. Right. Like if anyone asks them where they’re from, like even what’s your nationality, they’re like Singaporean. Okay. They’re so hardcore, there’s no, they don’t even want to live anywhere else, right? But um, that being said, they’re, you know, they’re Eurasian, right? Um, I think this is a great place to grow up as a Eurasian kid as well because you have exposure to everything. You have exposure to Asians, you have exposure to, um, Europeans, everything, Americans. It’s, I feel that Singapore is probably even a better melting pot than the United States.

Yana: I would agree with you on that. With the diversity that everything that is happening right here.

Judd: I agree.

Yana: Do you feel that you want to be staying for a longer time for your children to grow up 

Judd: anywhere. Singapore is home for me, right? Like I said, it’s a great place to raise my kids. They’ve got so many friends here. My friends here are, like I said, they’re my family. I’ve been here operating for about 15 years, and there’s just something different about someone that’s Western trained, with the Asian face, operating here in Asia.

Yana: So, Western trained. Asian looking, coming back to Asia, how was your integration back into Asia?

Judd: Well, I, I’ve never lived in Asia. I’ve only come to visit. I have a lot of family in the Philippines. Um, but I think the beauty of Asia is once, once you show up and you start talking to people and you, you mentioned that you’re from the U.S. or wherever, I, I feel very welcome because it almost seems like everyone wants me to be, Oh, so you’re half Korean. Or you’re, you’re actually Japanese, or you’re any of the Southeast Asia countries. I always felt very welcomed, right? And especially in the Philippines, when I would go back there and start, uh, when I was working in the Philippines.

They’re very, very open, right? And as soon as they find out that you’re Oh, you’re, it’s called a Balikbayan. You’re someone that came back to the Philippines.

Yana: such a great word. 

Judd: word. it’s nice because I just found a lot of the Asians very, very welcoming, right? So, um, I, I enjoyed it. And so for me, I wouldn’t, I don’t see why I would want to go back to the U. S. and do Even what I’m doing here, there this right, with AI

Yana: the business. That’s 

Judd: right. That’s right. There’s so many people, one doing it there. Here there’s a lot of people that are very skilled in AI here, but here it’s also, it’s like the wild west. It’s such a, an open frontier for all of these new things and new changes that I think it’s a great place to invest my time

Yana: when it comes to business again, being Asian who was fully educated and grew up in the West and then came back to Asia. How was that from the business 

Judd: From the business perspective, um, I, I thought good as well, right, because, um, I think it helps to hear all of these, um, these ideas and these new technological advances, all of these things that are coming from, uh, someone with an Asian background. Right? It doesn’t mean I know it better, but I’m very empathetic to, you know, their culture and, and that was a big part of it too. I think coming here and learning about the different cultures and how to interact with the different cultures, that’s made me a better leader.

 So for me, um, the whole working expat working in, uh, in Asia, it’s fantastic. I think the only warning I would give is just be very careful in terms of how you receive your business cards, right? You need to look at it, spend a little time like checking it out. And then you can put it away, right? So it’s those little nuances, I think, that are very interesting about working here.

Yana: Have you had challenges in your life?

Judd: But I wouldn’t say challenges from a, um, a work perspective. I think all I’m trying to do right now is I’m trying to balance a very successful and exciting career, uh, in digital strategy with my new firm, um, with being the father of twin boys, right? But also Singapore allows for that, right?

Like, um, I have, I’m lucky enough to have a helper who can help me with certain aspects of watching my kids if I’m in a meeting. Right? The fact that now it’s very remote and you can do a lot of calls from home, that’s definitely very helpful. I feel that living in Singapore, operating in Asia Pacific, allows me to be more. been as a father, a single father in the U. S.

Yana: Absolutely. I mean, I hear it from many parents and single parents in Singapore that actually they feel they can be better parents because there’s help available so you can spend more quality time and at the same time also pursue career, which is very important for both men and women, right? Since we’re on this parenting again and Children, and so when you look at your boys, What’s one value do you feel that you absolutely want to imprint in them?

Judd: Honor. Honor above all else mean, uh, like I, I, I went to the Air Force Academy. So for me, it’s part of who I am, right? I just want to instill that in my boys and make sure that they grow up as honorable men, happy,

Yana: Happy, honorable

Judd: men. It’s just do the right thing, right? Like I teach you do the right thing. Even when no one’s looking, Because everyone tries to do the right thing when all

Yana: when, when everyone is looking at you. Yes, yes.

Judd: But when you’re like you, you receive an extra 10 back.

Yana: and you give it back.

Judd: And you give it back, right? It’s those little things that I feel define who you are.

Yana: feel define who you are. That guy. would say, I would let

Judd: I would let him know that, uh, in 2016, he’s going to have his whole life changed because he’s going to have two amazing kids. And literally, like, I’m getting a little choked up right

Yana: Yes. I can feel that.

Judd: I went my whole adult dating career, just, you know, Always focused on having a good time, just about me and my friends. And I did not realize that you could love another person that much. It’s been truly amazing. So, got the tears, yeah. 

Yana: I got the tears.

Judd: the 

Yana: So you see you’re very, very deeply feeling man. Um, you know, I know quite a few people, especially I think maybe in Singapore and Asia guys. who are very much into their career and they just kind of fly around. They’re high flyers, right? So it’s all about a lot of money, power, traveling, dating, and they feel that they don’t want to settle because they like their freedom. What would you like to say them?

Judd: No, honestly, I say live your best life, right? If that’s what you’re about, I say do it. Do whatever makes you happy. What makes me happy is spending time with my kids. Right? So it doesn’t mean like the rest of it’s not important, right? Like I have fun going out just like anybody else, but if I could have a chance to spend a night with my kids, I’d rather do that. so much 

Yana: for joining us today. I think it was an amazing conversation.

Very, uh, very human and very deep. And I appreciate your vulnerability and honesty and honor. So thank you for that. And I think your boys are lucky to have you. So thank you for joining. And that was Jad Sanchez on Yana TV today, and we would love to Do we have any parents?

Single parents? Do we have people who are in the AI space? How do you feel about it? Are you developing? So let us know in the comments. We would love to hear from you. And of course, remember, subscribe to our channel, share this episode with a friend, and we are very grateful to Muse Studio for hosting YanaTV. I’m going to be seeing you next time. It’s literally wide write PhD now in, what they say, one year instead of five years. Someone just told me. So because AI helps you apparently to do all the There you go.