AI4I is expanding its industrial ecosystem with the addition of FiberCop as a participating member. The collaboration – announced on June 6, 2026 – includes the creation of a Joint Lab focused on Edge Cloud technologies, aimed at developing and testing advanced applications that combine network infrastructure, distributed computing capabilities and artificial intelligence.
The agreement strengthens AI4I’s strategy of connecting applied research, technological infrastructures and industry, supporting technology transfer and the adoption of high-impact AI solutions across the productive system.
At the core of the collaboration is a joint laboratory dedicated to the development and validation of innovative Edge Cloud use cases. The Joint Lab will work on applications capable of processing data and services closer to where they are generated, reducing latency, improving performance and enabling new services for businesses and local communities.
FiberCop will contribute its nationwide infrastructure and expertise in next-generation digital networks. For AI4I, the initiative represents another step toward building an ecosystem that leverages the convergence of connectivity, distributed computing and artificial intelligence.
“Joining AI4I and launching a joint initiative on Edge Cloud use cases represents an important opportunity for FiberCop to strengthen its role within the innovation ecosystem and contribute to the development of concrete, high-value technological applications,” said Daniele Franceschini, Head of Technology & Innovation at FiberCop. “Through this collaboration, we aim to make our expertise and infrastructure available to accelerate the development of new services based on artificial intelligence and distributed computing architectures, fostering innovation across local communities and industrial value chains.”
“The entry of FiberCop into AI4I and the creation of a Joint Lab dedicated to Edge Cloud mark an important step in building the infrastructures that will bring artificial intelligence closer to where data, services and industrial processes are generated,” said Fabio Pammolli, President of the Italian Institute of Artificial Intelligence (AI4I). “The combination of next-generation networks, distributed computing capabilities and applied research creates significant opportunities for the development of innovative applications with strong industrial impact. In this context, high-performance infrastructures represent a strategic asset for transforming AI research into tangible industrial value. Through this collaboration, we are bringing together complementary expertise to accelerate technology transfer and strengthen the country’s ability to develop and govern strategic technologies.”
The Joint Lab will also benefit from the capabilities of AI4I’s Research, Development and Engineering Centre and the AI Foundry Peano infrastructure, contributing to the development of new industrial applications and to the growth of a more integrated national AI ecosystem.
The partnership is part of an open innovation model focused on technology transfer, shared value creation and strengthening the competitiveness of the Italian productive system through the adoption of advanced artificial intelligence technologies.
