One year ago, the Italian Institute for Artificial Intelligence for Industry (AI4I) was launched to connect industry and science through research, data, and infrastructure. In a feature interview with ‘Corriere della Sera’, President Fabio Pammolli outlines the vision that has guided AI4I from day one.
“There is a design behind it that makes us feel part of an effort to show what Italy can do.”
The Institute is built to serve a production system made up not only of large industrial players, but also of small and medium-sized enterprises with deep sectoral expertise and a wealth of proprietary data. “These companies have always struggled to extract full value from the knowledge they already possess,” notes Pammolli. “AI4I was created to close that gap.”
Applied AI, he adds, must not be confined to economies of scale: “There’s space for deep, functional niches where competitive advantages can be preserved.”
AI4I is also expanding its reach by working with existing players in the private sector. “Our aim is to bring into our perimeter actors already on the market, increasing our firepower and strengthening the ecosystem.”
Finally, ethics and governance are key to responsible development: “The ethical dimension must be governed by good practices and solid oversight, both scientific and corporate. I’m optimistic about self-regulation—provided it is well directed.”
