Towards an Italian AI Renaissance
An In-Depth Analysis of AI Policy and Governance in Italy
This post represents my final project for the AI Safety Fundamentals - Governance Course by BlueDot Impact that I followed from April to July 2024.
Introduction
With the approval on March 13, 2024, of the AI Act, the European Union has demonstrated its readiness to deal with emerging technological trends and interest in becoming the driving force for the safe development and adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) at the global level.
In this framework, EU Member States are in the unique position of designing their own AI future within the safety ranges agreed at Union level. As AI presents both opportunities and challenges that push policymakers and the entire society to evolve to address its enormous implications, it becomes imperative to get a clearer perspective on the path that each European country is taking. Italy, in particular, plays an emerging proactive role shaped by its unique social, cultural, economic and historical profile and the policy priorities of its governments.
This post intends to provide a general overview of the Italian AI policy context within the lenses of AI governance and safety. Emphasis will be given to presenting the goals and content of the most recent initiatives at the national and international level that the current government has undertaken. Attention will also be drawn to describing the role of the most relevant actors that, directly or indirectly, are shaping AI policy-making in Italy. This overview is instrumental in helping to identify the key trends, challenges, and opportunities ahead that will mostly be part of the Italian AI agenda in the years to come.
A Rising Player in the Global AI Landscape
Italy is a distinctive player in AI policy-making, particularly known for its recent initiatives and efforts towards developing effective regulations at the global level. The country has garnered attention for its involvement in the international AI landscape through various means, shedding light on the growing interest and concerns of its government and national players over this technology.
In the last few years there have been several notable instances where Italian institutions have tested the extent of their power to protect national interests against emerging AI threats or to seize unique opportunities.
In 2023, Itay implemented a temporary ban on access to ChatGPT within its borders—the only G7 nation to do so and following countries like Russia, China, Syria, Cuba, and Iran. In this specific case, the Italian Privacy Guarantor raised concerns regarding data collection by OpenAI, the parent of ChatGPT, because of the lack of transparency towards users and stakeholders. Additionally, there was criticism due to the absence of a legal framework to support the extensive collection and storage of personal data for training purposes, as well as a lack of measures to verify the age of minors. Subsequent actions were taken to address the authority's recommendations outlined in the directive, and about one month later, ChatGPT was again available to Italian users.
Likewise, Italian institutions have made multiple attempts to establish Italy as a key AI governance player. During the last G7 summit, Italy strongly advocated for the establishment of governance mechanisms for AI, and a speech from Pope Francis further emphasized the need for reflecting on the ethical considerations involved in this technology. The event boosted Italy's role as a solid and visionary leader in the field of AI, taking also into consideration that a few days before the summit, the 2024 European elections officially reconfirmed Giorgia Meloni's government, while also putting into question the ones led by Olaf Scholz and Emmanuel Macron.
This trend was further confirmed with the submission of the first legislative proposal by a Member State to adopt the provisions of the new EU AI Act (approved on March 13, 2024, by the European Parliament) on May 3, 2024.
While the bill has yet to go through parliamentary scrutiny, these elements demonstrate a unique political dynamism that further enhances Italy's ability to stretch its soft and hard powers and establish itself as a regional (and potentially global) AI leader. Italy’s ability to show high sensibility as far as human-centered approaches are concerned and to adopt a more pragmatic, ethical, and distinctive approach compared to the other regional players and the EU, has made it an object of global attention and scrutiny.
AI Governance Landscape
A complete understanding of the Italian AI agenda-setting and policy-making in recent years would not be complete without considering the key authorities, institutions, and entities responsible for it. What follows is an overview of the AI governance ecosystem at play in Italy, with a focus on some key actors that, sometimes surprisingly, are shaping the way Italy will embark on an “AI Renaissance.”
In terms of agenda setting, decision-making, implementation, and monitoring, the following institutions are direct expressions of the government's will to establish frameworks, standards, and strategies to better drive the unfolding AI transformation:
The Council of Ministers, which represents the highest governing body of the Government,
The Ministry for Business and Made in Italy (previously Ministry for Economic Development),
The Department for Digital Transformation, which is lead by the Prime Minister's Office and is responsible for setting policies for implementing digital transformation programs,
The Agency for Digital Italy (AgID), which operates within the Department for Digital Transformation to ensure the implementation of the goals of the Italian Digital Agenda.
The Agency for National Cybersecurity (ACN), in charge of protecting national interests in the field of cybersecurity.
Additionally, the Data Protection Authority (GPDP), an administrative authority independent from the Government, has expressed its interest in leading the AI policy discourse, especially concerning the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms in the processing of personal data.
Beyond these few institutions, the Italian AI ecosystem includes a diverse array of stakeholders that have a certain degree of say in the definition of AI laws and strategies. National scientific research associations like AIxIA and I3A play pivotal roles in advancing AI innovations, alongside public research centers such as the National Research Council (CNR) and cutting-edge infrastructures like CINECA-INFN and CNR's HP-AI Center. Moreover, initiatives like Digital Innovation Hubs by Confindustria and Punti Impresa Digitale by Italian Chambers of Commerce cluster under their umbrellas a growing number of AI-focused startups and university spin-offs that drive the country's effort on developing frontier technologies.
The Council of Ministers - Legislature XIX
Taking into consideration the most recent endeavors of the current Government to take a regional and international role, it's worth questioning its perspective and vision on AI.
The current Italian Government is composed of a coalition of the three major Italian right-wing parties: Fratelli d’Italia, Lega, and Forza Italia. It is represented by Fratelli d’Italia party leader President Giorgia Meloni. Since at the 2024 EU elections all three parties have presented a detailed electoral program, it is possible to take a closer look at their goals and long-term vision as far as AI is concerned.
For Fratelli d’Italia, the coalition's leading party, the priorities are to harness the opportunities presented by AI, mitigate its risks, and prioritize human centrality without hindering AI's development and potential. The role of Europe is highlighted as a leader in managing the transformative impact of AI systems. The party proposes the establishment of a European control room that will oversee the political and social changes induced by AI, and analyze risk factors, while safeguarding jobs, fundamental human rights, and intellectual property. Additionally, strong emphasis is given to supporting companies that invest in AI research, development, and implementation and directing European funds to create a joint research and development hub for AI technologies to ensure Europe remains competitive. Finally, implementing digital literacy campaigns and updating intellectual property protection instruments and copyright laws are mentioned to better adapt to the changes brought about by digital progress.
Forza Italia’s program touches on similar points, emphasizing that AI should serve humanity by managing the digital revolution, regulating associated risks, accelerating research and development investments, and promoting innovation. Yet, differently from Fratelli d’Italia, this program doesn’t have a specific section on AI. Instead, it mentions it within the framework of "freedom of enterprise" and "competitiveness." For example, the party calls for sharing financial information and developing uniform fiscal rules to prevent companies from artificially reducing their tax liabilities. Additionally, Forza Italia understates the role of these technologies in supporting vulnerable groups and older people.
Finally, quite surprisingly, given the rising trend of AI in politics, the Lega program for the European elections does not include specific guidelines regarding AI.
These various attitudes and perspectives ultimately aligned to drive a significant institutional effort to shape the discussion around AI Governance. This alignment is also evident in the development of the forthcoming 2024–2026 strategy and the 2024 bill, both of which will be further explored in this post.
The Holy See
Continuing on the analysis of key players affecting AI policy-making in Italy, the Holy See is a prominent actor that should be analyzed in detail. Indeed, while representing a small independent state within the city of Rome, the Holy See has an enormous influence on not only Italian politics but global politics as well.
As previously mentioned, at the recent G7 summit in Italy, the Holy See played a special role in navigating the conversation around AI. Indeed, the participation of Pope Francis provided a valuable opportunity to present the Vatican's perspective and approach towards current technological advancements while attempting to validate itself as a key institution to be heard in the national and international AI landscape.
In order to understand Pope Francis' significant interest in AI topics, it is necessary to consider his pontificate as a whole. Beginning with his focus on the migrant crisis, followed by his attention to environmental issues, and now turning to AI, Pope Francis consistently engages with pivotal issues at the forefront of global discourse. His approach involves assessing the direction in which humanity is progressing and proactively addressing future challenges with world leaders.
The Holy See is motivated by a pressing concern that technology might exacerbate societal inequalities by allowing market players to capitalize on human vulnerabilities and prioritize profit over human well-being. Furthermore, the Holy See is closely addressing the possibility of algorithms influencing personal choices and posing a threat to individual identities (and souls). The Vatican aims to raise awareness about the need to set ethical boundaries in technological development and ensure that advancements align with human values and principles.
The participation of the Holy See in the G7 summit has roots in a set of previous initiatives, most notably the “2020 Rome Call for AI Ethics.” During that time, along with notable organizations such as Microsoft, IBM, FAO, and the Italian Ministry of Innovation, Vatican representatives signed a call to advocate for the establishment of common ethical guidelines for the advancement of AI technology and to create technologies that enhance rather than replace human capabilities. The success of the first edition led to the second one in 2023, titled “AI Ethics: An Abrahamic Commitment to the Rome Call.” Its purpose was to encourage Jewish and Muslim religious leaders to join the call and thus expand interfaith cooperation on this matter.
The leading institution involved by the Holy See on these matters is the Pontifical Academy for Life (Pontificia accademia per la vita), established by Pope John Paul II in 1994 to oversee frontier scientific developments and promote and defend human life. Within the Pontifical Academy, in 2021, Pope Francis established the RenAIssance Foundation to support the Rome Call and promote the “anthropological and ethical reflection of new technologies on human life.”
Over the last few years, RenAIssance Foundation scientific director Prof. Paolo Benanti has become a prominent figure in the Italian AI landscape, notably for being the only priest and theologian to chair the National Commission on Artificial Intelligence (part of the Department for Information and Publishing). Moreover, Prof. Benanti, beyond being an extraordinary professor of ethics of technology at the Pontifical Gregorian University, is one of the 39 members of the New Artificial Intelligence Advisory Board of the United Nations. He is most credited with the concept of "algoethics," the application of ethical principles and values to algorithms. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni further stressed the need for a significant debate around this concept in a recent speech at the 78th United Nations General Assembly.
Due to a longstanding relationship between the Holy See and the Italian Republic, mapped by both contrasts and alliances across decades, it is noteworthy to highlight the alignment of intents and the reciprocal support in an unexpected field such as AI.
This collaboration, based on the promotion of ethical principles rooted in Christian-Humanistic values, is offering significant advantages for both sides.
The invitation and support shown by the Italian presidency of the G7 summit to the Holy See has fostered media attention and significantly projected the core principles of the Vatican to the attention of global leaders and major tech companies.
In turn, the Holy See strengthened Italy's global reputation as a leading interlocutor on AI ethics and governance and, presumably, brought part of the Catholic Christian electorate closer to the Meloni Government’s agenda.
Evolution of AI Strategies (2018-2024)
Over the last few years, Italian institutions, under the guidance of different governments, have developed a wide set of strategies to guide the development, regulation, and adoption of AI technologies.
Intending to provide a clear understanding of the strategic vision of the country, what follows is a short compilation of the most pertinent strategic plans, accompanied by brief descriptions. Even if some of these initiatives are now outdated due to the rapidly advancing nature of AI technology, the benefits of a general overview of the national policy landscape will help identify patterns and intuit how emerging trends and challenges have subsequently been addressed.
Artificial Intelligence at the service of citizens - Agency for Digital Italy (AGID) (2018)
Based on the work done by the AI Task Force of the Digital Italy Agency, this document represents a milestone in the Italian policy landscape at the time, as it is the first document to address AI in public administrations. It includes recommendations on how to adopt AI technologies to achieve more efficient and citizen-friendly services in schools, healthcare facilities, municipalities, courts, ministries, and so on.
Strategia Nazionale per l’Intelligenza Artificiale ‘National Strategy for AI’ - Italian Ministry for Economic Development (2020)
The document outlines a detailed plan to enable Italy to participate in the international AI context. Key objectives include boosting competition in the private sector, modernizing the public administration, empowering citizens, developing key competencies, improving access to data, and establishing investments for growth and governance.
The document opens with an emphasis on how “AI must be at the service of people” to avoid the further exacerbation of social and territorial imbalances. The key principles to guide the strategy and any related actions are anthropocentrism, reliability, and sustainability.
AI for future Italy - National Interuniversity Consortium for Informatics (CINI) (2020)
This document, developed by the CINI National Lab in Artificial Intelligence and Intelligent Systems (CINI-AIIS), examines the potential impact of AI research in the national ecosystem and proposes recommendations to address strategic and societal challenges by enhancing Italian research and technology capabilities in the academic and industrial fields.
The paper emphasizes some key recommendations that will become a recurring theme across subsequent policies, such as:
The definition of a central authority in this document, “National Coordination Center of AI in Italy," which is directly linked to the leading executive power,
The establishment of a national AI flagship research project,
The creation of an education plan for a solid culture of AI at all levels of education,
The launch of talent recruitment initiatives to increase the AI research workforce and counteract the phenomenon of brain drain,
The creation of a national AI infrastructure.
Strategy for Technological Innovation and Digitalization of the Country 2025 - Agency for Digital Italy (AGID) (2020)
This strategy developed by AGID includes AI as one of the key fields to sustain the path of digitization, innovation, and sustainable development within the country.
Structured around 20 actions, the strategy proposes the use of AI applications to manage administrative procedures and services, with a focus on the justice sector (Action 8). In addition, it advocates for the creation of an "Alliance for Sustainable Artificial Intelligence," a committee of public and private entities, whose goal is to establish an ethical-legal statute for AI (Action 17). The statute will establish a set of minimum rules for the ethical-legal qualification of AI solutions for public and private use (the so-called “AI ethical LAB-EL”).
It is crucial to highlight that this strategy clearly presents what has become the current dominant narrative on AI in Italy. In direct connection with its sociocultural roots, AI is considered to be the means towards “AI humanism," a new “digital renaissance” where humans are put at the core of these technological transformations. In this perspective, rather than adopting a "move fast and break things” approach, Italy must develop a socially, culturally, and democratically sustainable AI based on culturally and historically established values.
Strategic Programme on Artificial Intelligence 2022 - 2024 - Agency for Digital Italy (AGID) (2022)
Drafted by a team of appointed experts, the Strategic Program 2022-2024 includes a set of six goals to turn Italy into a regional AI hub:
Promote frontier research in AI and encourage a multidisciplinary approach;
Reduce the fragmentation of AI research to achieve critical mass through collaboration;
Develop and adopt reliable, human-centered AI in the public and private sectors;
Strengthen AI-based innovation through investment and industry partnerships and facilitate business adoption;
Develop AI-oriented policies and services in the public sector;
Create, retain, and attract AI talent in Italy.
As far as governance is concerned, the strategy sought to prevent the practical challenge of establishing a national AI authority by proposing a less ambitious “Permanent Steering Group on AI” to become part of the Interministerial Committee for Digital Transition (CiTD), part of the Prime Minister's Office.
When it comes to ethics and safety, the strategy highlights four key ethical issues: respect for individual autonomy, harm prevention, fairness, and explainability. It was designed in alignment with the 2019 "Ethical Guidelines for Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence" set forth by the European Commission's High-Level Expert Group on AI. The Strategy also considers the inclusion of companies from disadvantaged regions, advocates for increased female participation in the AI sector, and supports alignment with all AI policies related to data processing, aggregation, sharing, exchange, and security.
Italian Strategy on Artificial Intelligence 2024-2026 - Agency for Digital Italy (AGID) (2024)
The previously mentioned strategy, set to conclude in 2024, is being replaced by a new document developed by the Agency for Digital Italy (AgID) and the Department for Digital Transformation of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers. For this purpose, a specialized committee of 13 experts, including the previously mentioned Prof. Paolo Benanti, has been established to draft this new plan.
Only a 10-page summary of the strategy has been released. However, this influential document outlines a set of key actions that will drive Italy’s AI efforts for the next three years. Below is a summary of the proposed actions.
Scientific Research
• Enhance scientific research efforts through investment in fundamental and blue-sky research, with a focus on promoting ecological, social, ethical, and legal sustainability,
• Prioritize international partnerships and talent attraction in the field of AI,
• Invest in practical research to address specific requirements, through public-private collaborations that comply with EU regulations,
• Foresee the creation of three key national multimodal LMMs.
Public Administration
• Revitalize administrative procedures and spearhead national initiatives,
• Allow room for individual administrations to customize AI solutions for enhanced operational efficiency,
• Establishing parameters for governmental procurement processes,
• Improve access to public services through AI technologies to optimize effectiveness, safeguard citizens' rights, ensure technology neutrality, and foster the use of public over proprietary solutions.
Enterprises
• Promote Italian business innovation by fostering the adoption of AI technology solutions,
• Invest in the start-up ecosystem to sustain AI development,
• Foster relationships with universities and research institutions to establish fruitful partnerships.
Education
• Encourage the establishment of University programs focused on AI to cultivate technical and research expertise,
• Establish a national doctoral program on AI,
• Integrate AI into all levels of education to promote digital literacy and bridge the digital divide,
• Prioritize workforce upskilling and reskilling in both the public and private sectors.
Enabling Infrastructure
• Establish and strengthen enabling infrastructures,
• Allocate resources for a national data repository.
Execution and Monitoring
• Establish an Artificial Intelligence Foundation within the Prime Minister's Office to oversee strategic initiatives.
While the executive summary provides a glimpse of the future AI Strategy, it also helps provide insight into Italy's AI future, based on lessons-learnt, recent technological advancements, and upcoming challenges.
A Step Forward - Bill No.1066AS
On April 23, 2024, the Council of Ministers published a bill entitled “Regulations for the development and adoption of artificial intelligence technologies” (full text here), marking a significant milestone in the Italian AI policy-making.
Differently from the previously described strategies, the Bill No. 1066AS demonstrates a significant legislative effort by the Government to concretize some of its visions and circumscribe a clear regulatory field for the country.
The Bill intends to harmonize national legislation with the AI Act within a year of its enactment. While the EU AI Act serves as a policy framework, individual countries have the opportunity to delineate their own path for advancing, ensuring safety, and overseeing the use of AI technology, in line with their own specific needs and characteristics.
Even if there are several already existing laws in Italy affecting the development and adoption of AI (such as GDPR, or competition laws), the Bill is the first real attempt to regulate the field of AI across various sectors while putting the core values of the EU AI Act at the center.
Structured in 26 articles, the bill serves as a foundational document for both Italy and other regional players that paves the way for the development and implementation of future AI policies. In this section, its core aspects will be briefly presented.
Core Principles
The first articles of the Bill present the core guiding principles for AI. These include the principles of fairness, reliability, safety, quality, appropriateness, and transparency, as well as human autonomy and decision-making power and the absence of any form of discrimination or bias.
Fundamental rights and freedoms provided by the Constitution and European Union law (Art. 3) must be ensured throughout the life cycle of AI systems, and lawful, correct, and transparent processing of personal data must take place (Art. 4). The Bill aims to promote a responsible and anthropocentric use of AI, in which human critical thinking must always take precedence over the use of AI tools.
National Defence
The Bill does not include regulations regarding the adoption of AI for cybersecurity and national defense. The definition of how AI-related activities are to be carried out in these areas is deferred to a future regulation.
However, it specifies that the development of AI systems and models must be carried out per the principles already mentioned. Additionally, Art. 16 assigns the National Cybersecurity Agency the task of promoting and developing initiatives, including public-private partnerships, for the use of AI for the improvement of national cybersecurity.
Healthcare
Art. 7 states that the use of AI in the healthcare system should be adopted to improve the prevention and treatment of disease while respecting personal rights and freedoms. It is emphasized that AI systems should support, but not replace, the decisions of physicians.
Art. 9 foresees the creation of an AI platform to offer support to healthcare professionals, provide non-binding suggestions to physicians, and allow users to better access healthcare services. The development, implementation, deployment, and ownership of this platform will be overseen by the National Agency for Regional Health Services.
Workplace
Art. 10 stipulates that AI must be used to improve working conditions, protect the mental and physical integrity of workers, and increase the quality of work performance and productivity. In addition, its adoption must ensure respect for the inviolable rights of workers and prevent discrimination in accordance with European Union law.
The establishment of an Observatory for the adoption of AI systems in the workplace is foreseen in Art. 11, to help define a common strategy, monitor the impact of AI on the labor market, and identify the sectors most affected by the introduction of AI solutions.
Justice and Penal dispositions
According to Art. 14, the use of AI for the organization and simplification of judicial work must be limited; the interpretation of the law, evaluating facts and evidence, and the adoption of measures must be exclusively taken by magistrates without the direct involvement of AI systems.
Additionally, several regulatory provisions related to the use of AI systems in criminal matters are introduced in Art. 25, which provides a general aggravating circumstance for crimes committed through the use of AI. It also establishes a new specific offense for the unlawful distribution of AI-generated or manipulated content (with reclusion for up to 5 years).
Governance
According to Art. 18, the Department of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers will guide the strategy for technological innovation and digital transition, with oversight from the Interministerial Committee for Digital Transition, while the implementation will be monitored by the Department, AgID, and the National Cybersecurity Agency (ACN).
There is debate over which authority should oversee the implementation of AI policies, with AgID and ACN being considered for their expertise on the matter. However, the Italian Data Protection Authority is advocating for a single, independent supervisory authority for both AI and data protection, emphasizing this in a letter to the Italian Parliament.
Public Procurement
The Italian government can influence technological development and help the adoption of standards through the establishment of guidelines for the procurement of goods and services.ù
Art. 13 explicitly mentions that AI shall be used to increase efficiency, reduce time, and improve the quality and quantity of services provided. The bill also foresees the experimental application of AI to the services provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (Art. 19) for a total foreseen expense of €600,000 i for the implementation of experimental projects in 2025-2026. Additionally, the Bill proposes the potential adoption of AI to enhance healthcare industry technologies (Art. 9). A wide range of healthcare activities are addressed, including diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, prevention, medical studies, and research.
Education and Workforce Development
Several dispositions are introduced to foster the use and development of AI technologies in various sectors.
According to Art. 13, governments must ensure adequate training and skill development for human operators. Additionally, Art. 22 proposes a series of initiatives to promote literacy and training in the use of AI systems. This includes the creation of both generic and specific educational pathways for professionals and practitioners in the field, and it aims to enhance STEM skills in schools and universities. Finally, the Observatory mentioned in Art. 11 will also promote the training of workers and employers in AI.
Immigration Policy
Italy can strengthen its position in the field of AI on a global scale by strategically managing the entry of technologists and scientists into its territory.
Art. 20 focuses on tools to support the repatriation of researchers working in the field of AI. They are required to have a high qualification or specialization in the field of AI and deep learning technologies, a policy already put in place for other specializations. Such experts will have access to the concessional tax regime. Specifically, the bill provides for a 50% tax base on income produced for workers who transfer residence to the state territory.
Entrepreneurship
Art. 21 foresees investments for a maximum amount of €1 billion in the fields of AI, cybersecurity, and quantum computing in telecommunications and enabling technologies. The goal is to foster the development, growth, and consolidation of companies operating in these sectors. Recipients of this investment are innovative Italian companies that are in the experimental, start-up, or product development phases of such technologies.
The adopted investment mechanism will be based on resources available via CDP Venture Capital S.p.A., the National Innovation Fund. Investments will be made by taking equity stakes in venture capital, either directly or indirectly. Investors will include the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy, AgID, and ACN.
According to CDP Venture Capital Sgr. Industrial Plan 2024-2028, the sum will be distributed according to the following:
€120 million will be directed to technology transfer via small investments of about €100,000–€300,000.
€580 million will target startups that are already developing AI applications, with an investment of about €10 million each.
€300 million will be used to fund a maximum of three strategic projects (the so-called “National Champions," supposedly advanced LLMs) that will give the country the capability to play a significant role in the international landscape.
Copyright
Important changes to regulate the use of AI systems in audiovisual media services are introduced in the Bill.
Art. 23 stipulates that providers must clearly inform users if informational content has been altered or created with AI by including a visible identifying sign (label) at the beginning, end, and each reprise of the program. Video-sharing platforms are also expected to take protective measures for minors and the general public against content generated or altered by AI.
At the same time, Art. 24 mentions that, while protected intellectual works must be of human origin, protection for AI-generated works is recognized, provided that the contribution of AI tools is part of a process guided by the human intellect.
AI Policy Priorities
Concluding with the overview of AI strategies and the proposed AI law, it is possible to attempt to draw some general lines on the main AI policy priorities for the country.
Italy, as well as other players, aims above all to foster a healthy national innovation ecosystem that can make it an international hub for technological excellence and to ensure that the benefits of AI technologies trickle down to every single sector of society.
To achieve this goal, Italian governments are first and foremost placing a strong emphasis on promoting entrepreneurship and facilitating the growth and adoption of new AI technologies across the entire ecosystem. This is an approach tailored to the country’s peculiar business environment, consisting of thousands of SMEs that form its economic backbone. Likewise, ample space seems to be given to initiatives aimed at solving the structural problem of attracting and retaining skilled professionals capable of developing and managing a growing AI infrastructure and solutions.
Significant efforts are being made to improve technology transfer by increasing collaboration among all actors to achieve critical mass. The attempt to converge national resources for the creation of flagship projects is a reaction to the current fragmentation that prevents the achievement of a more significant global role. In addition, the emphasis on modernizing public administration as a driver of innovation, through procurement or funding, is instrumental in pushing resources and innovation toward desired goals.
In the area of national security, while hardly mentioned, it is possible to assume that Italy will seek to play a leading role through other initiatives. The country could promote the strengthening of its own strategic infrastructure while enhancing collaboration with NATO members to ensure threat monitoring, compliance with chip export controls, and strengthening cybersecurity efforts.
When it comes to advancing safe and value-driven AI, Italy demonstrates a strong commitment to prioritizing human-centeredness, trust, and sustainable development. This reflects its dedication to protecting individuals and society against indiscriminate technological advancements. Italy's approach emphasizes the importance of balancing cutting-edge innovation with ethical considerations to ensure the responsible and transparent implementation of AI systems for the benefit of society. Collaboration with the Roman Catholic Church is welcomed as instrumental in helping to shape the narrative of Italy as a privileged representative of anthropocentric values against the looming threat of profit-driven technological disasters.
Finally, as far as AI Governance is concerned, the government is committed to leading AI adoption across all societal levels. For its achievement, there have been numerous unheeded calls for the creation of a centralized entity that could promote cooperation at the national level. What seems to be sorely needed is sound, transparent, and effective governance to coordinate the efforts of public and private actors and make efficient use of public resources.
Meanwhile, at the European level, Italy is promoting national harmonization of EU laws and presenting itself as a potential model for other EU member states. In this context, Italy has been proactive enough to anticipate the creation of an EU governance system and to attempt to take the lead, stressing the importance that only through common and coordinated actions will Europe be able to compete globally.
In conclusion, the path to an Italian “AI Renaissance” is far from simple. Ambition, changing governments, differing interests and goals, inefficient use of resources, faster-than-expected technological developments, and unresolved structural issues have all the power to lead astray major political initiatives and make Italy lose ground in such an important battle as AI. In this context, success is certainly not a given.
Acknowledgements
I would like to express my gratitude to the BlueDot Impact team for the opportunity to explore in detail the uncharted territories of AI safety and governance. I highly appreciated joining the AI Governance program and learning more about the societal, political, and economic implications of the impending developments in the AI field, as well as how governments worldwide are working towards shaping their own AI-driven future.
I want to sincerely thank Kristie Loke, my cohort facilitator, for instilling in me an interest in this fascinating field, and all the students I have had the privilege to meet throughout the last 12 weeks. Their contributions, support, and insightful perspectives have been instrumental in helping me understand how AI is literally shaping our lives. I would finally like to extend my thanks to several friends from the Effective Altruism Italy community for their valuable feedback, and to my friend Zoe Zahariadis for her careful editing.