Italy must invest in artificial intelligence by focusing on five particular sectors of the economy. In fact, distributing resources among all sectors would be counterproductive, because investments would remain "below the threshold" and would not give a real boost to "the economic, social and human growth of our country". This is what we read in the "Proposals for an Italian Strategy for Artificial Intelligence" elaborated by a group of experts from the Mise. The document, now in its fifth draft, dates back to May 10, 2019.
Here are the sectors indicated by the experts.
1) IOT, MANUFACTURING AND ROBOTICS
It starts from the components for the Internet of Things, applied both to industry and to public or domestic spaces. In this context "it becomes important for our country to also consider information processing models other than the traditional cloud - reads the analysis - The intelligence of IoT or embedded systems must often operate in the 'field' where the data is generated and in proximity of connected objects. We therefore speak of edge computing, a technology that brings processing capacity closer to the place where data is generated for applications in which latency, security and energy efficiency are determining factors”.
In manufacturing, on the other hand, “AI and industrial automation are changing operations with the advent of new generation robotics. Indeed, robots are able to provide higher levels of assurance and quality, reduce operating costs and improve production. Italian robotics has grown by an average of 12% in the last five years with a peak of 19% in 2018 (source IFR). Significant growth is also expected in service robotics in a world market that already exceeds 11 billion dollars. AI in manufacturing allows, for example, predictive maintenance of machinery by increasing its productivity. In industrial automation it is particularly important to maintain on-site processing of the generated data, thus preserving the know-how of the individual companies”.
2) SERVICES: FINANCE AND HEALTHCARE
In the service industry, the financial sector is "extremely active with AI applications for anti-fraud controls and risk management, in customer intelligence and anti-money laundering, as well as in the financial and insurance fields - the Mise technicians continue - Even in the In healthcare, the applications of AI technologies are growing, as a result of the enormous amount of medical data available from research, through the clinical registers of general practitioners, hospital medical records, reports and laboratory tests, to name a few. The Italian healthcare sector is making considerable investments in AI especially in precision medicine, diagnostics and research into new drugs. There is also some interest in patient care and surgical robotics. The collaboration between research, industry and the hospital system is very close".
3) TRANSPORT, AGRIFOOD, ENERGY
The theme of transport, mobility and intelligent cities - continues the text - is a particular strategic asset for Italy, where AI solutions can "revolutionize the predictive contexts of planning and optimization, of traffic, of people, of goods and things. The experimentation of AI in autonomous driving is also proceeding thanks to the support of the State in the areas of the city of Turin, in the Trento and Brennero and Modena areas (MASA, Modena Automotive Smart Area) in addition to the co-financed projects of the ECSEL program " .
AI also offers “new solutions for data analysis, intelligent prediction and optimization to support environmental sustainability policies and the agrifood and energy supply chains – continues the Proposals – The digital transformation is by now also affecting the entire agri-food chain starting from the farmer up to the consumer. The main applications of AI related to manufacturing are those aimed at processing data from sensors in the field and on machinery for decision support systems. Traceability can count on sensors and digital technologies – such as the blockchain but also smart labels22. In the energy sector, AI is radically transforming processes in the various segments (generation, transmission, distribution and sales) above all for decision support and process optimization such as, for example, the grid. With a view to sustainability, a grid increasingly composed of renewables must necessarily use AI for real-time monitoring and control of distribution".
4) PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
Another critical sector for the development of AI is that of the Public Administration. “In our country – continues the text – the Agency for Digital Italy has already carried out an excellent job of reconnaissance of the main challenges concerning the modernization of the PA in the AI era. AgID also participates in the work of the main international and European standardization bodies in this field. The reference document is the so-called AgID White Paper containing recommendations and indications on how to make the most of the opportunities offered by AI to develop increasingly citizen-friendly public services by limiting critical issues and problematic aspects. Such recommendations include the promotion of a national platform dedicated to the development of AI solutions, the creation of a National Competence Center that also works on the prediction of the social effects of AI, and measures related to training and skills. The White Paper constitutes a fundamental starting point for the policy recommendations contained in this document, for example on procurement, the use of challenges and forms of cooperation between research, business accelerators and public and private innovation hubs, including at European level ”.
5) CULTURE AND DIGITAL HUMANITIES
A sector correlated to the world of Public Administration is the Cultural Heritage sector, "where Italy has always been at the world's top in terms of heritage and skills, also in terms of technological offerings for fruition, protection and experiential interfaces, as well as for protection and preservation of assets - continue the Mise technicians - For example, robots acquire data on the cloud and then allow scholars to reconstruct them with engaging and realistic graphics, like that of video games. These 3D models enhance study possibilities for schools and universities, but they are also a valuable tool available to tourism: most archaeological areas have areas closed to the public which are often also the most beautiful. A reconstruction in virtual reality can be a way to show otherwise inaccessible sites, but also a technology to break down architectural barriers for people with disabilities".
