The digital economy and the changing workplace
Innovations ranging from robotics to artificial intelligence, digital platforms to blockchains, is having a growing impact on the work world. The transformations under way concern not only professional and corporate spheres, but also everyday life. Due to the ageing of the population on the one hand, and millennial lifestyle choices on the other, robotics are going to be used more and more for household chores.
Making the most of Italy’s energy resources
Discussions at this roundtable kicked off with the observation that global economic growth, which has been particularly strong over the past year, has brought with it well-known benefits in terms of development (helping to combat extreme poverty, for instance), yet it has also marked a reversal in the trend of CO2 atmospheric emissions, which, after having stabilized for a three-year period, are rising again at a rate of around 1.5%. This once again poses the question of what measures are needed to decouple growth from emissions.
Building a new silk road: Sicily’s role
Kicking off discussions at this National Conference was the observation that southern Italy’s ports, intermodal facilities, and adjacent hinterland areas have a strategic opportunity within their grasp, with Mediterranean routes now serving as crossroads for global traffic. It was felt, however, that in order to seize these opportunities, medium and long-term choices need to be made, with a commitment at the governmental level to ensure that the right incentives, an apposite regulatory framework, and a coherent vision for pursuing Italy’s economic interests are all in place.
Italian trade fair sector for a new industrial policy
Discussions at this National Conference kicked off with the observation that Italy’s trade-fair sector is a key tool for promoting the country’s economy. Not only do successful events have an important economic impact on the area in which they are hosted, with a potentially greater than tenfold multiplier effect, but trade fairs also offer crucial support to businesses.
Innovation to boost competitiveness in agriculture
The participants at this national roundtable described Italian agriculture as a sector which, although growing, is still replete with shortcomings. The industry has shown that it can shift exports of over 41 billion euro, but this is still not in the league of Germany’s 80 billion euro figure. It was felt that the sector continues to suffer from insufficient competitiveness, due mainly to a lack of investment and innovation.
Cybersecurity: dangers and opportunities for businesses
Investments, culture, sharing: three elements that pundits and professionals consider indispensable to making System Italy resistant to cyber threats.
Banks and the real economy: renewing cooperation to boost local development
The participants at this National Conference noted that after a decade of profound economic and social crisis, some encouraging signs are emerging on a macroeconomic level that lend hope to the possibility of reestablishing a virtuous circle between the financial system, the real economy, and society at large. It was acknowledged, however, that there are still many challenges to be addressed, including regulation and the technological acceleration that has led to the advent of the fintech phenomenon.
Society and labor in the era of artificial intelligence
The consensus at this 9th annual conference of the Italian Talent Abroad group was that artificial intelligence and robotics are set to change many aspects of everyday life, ranging from transport to the environment, and from health to security. This was hailed as a game-changing process that is already underway and which risks rendering many existing economic, social, and political structures no longer fit for purpose.
Italian talent abroad
This National Interest event of the Italian Talent Abroad group focused on work, training and innovation as the key launching pads for the country’s future. It was noted that while the issue of employment is one that impacts on the whole of Europe, it has an even greater bearing in Italy. In particular, there is a risk of losing an entire generation of talent, thereby fueling a vicious circle, since the destruction of skills and expertise in many sectors constitutes an irreversible process.