Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications are multiplying exponentially around the world and in the most disparate of contexts. Since the advent of Large Language Models and the first edition of ChatGPT, the development of AI has been constant and rapid. This has led to the great enthusiasm – about the prospects and opportunities offered by the new technology – as well as significant concern for its possible improper use or potential negative impact on the environment and the socioeconomic fabric.
Nations such as the United States and China have adopted strategies and made massive investments not only in technological development, but also in attracting talent and fostering a robust national industry in this sector. The European Union has pioneered unprecedented regulatory initiatives, such as the AI Act, with the intention of establishing key rules by which to ensure that development is in keeping with its founding principles. First among these principles are respect for human rights, defense of privacy and opposition to discrimination. At the same time, however, Europe struggles to attract the investment and talent that would guarantee it an active leading role in international competition.
Without a doubt, it is necessary to adopt a multi-dimensional approach and a range of actions. But it is most important to respond proactively to the challenges of AI, concentrating not only on rules but also expanding to the broader issue of the governance of these technologies and industry growth. To that end, it is essential to actively involve public institutions, private entities and citizens in a process of discussion, comprehension and co-decision making, not least through public/private collaboration. Europe is going to have to steer the public debate in such a way as to direct policy decisions toward investments in infrastructure; this by increasing computational capacity and sustainable energy models and promoting innovation and universal access with a view to addressing the new phenomenon of the “AI divide”.
Secondly, it is fundamental to balance the risks and opportunities of AI in order to encourage growth and innovation, while also firmly maintaining European citizen and business protections. It is important to avoid keying the public debate solely to regulation, as seems to be the case today; adequate room must be left for an interface that involves all stakeholders, from industry to academia, and from institutions to citizens.
In this sense, it is going to be pivotal to promote a creative approach to the design of new business models and new applications capable of producing not only economic benefits but also social and environmental ones; using Europe’s – and especially Italy’s – cultural and creative specificities by making the most of European cultural heritage. At the same time, greater European economic and social capacities for adaptation need to be nurtured in order to be able to respond with dynamism and initiative to the increasingly rapid evolution of the technological and economic scenario. The risk of passively giving in to the historic changes underway must be reduced. We must not be left unprepared to confront any unforeseen developments that the sector may have in store.
Finally, to make all this possible it is going to be essential to focus on the role of education and training. On the one hand, citizens and professionals of the future must be trained to interact effectively with the new AI-based technologies and enjoy their benefits and opportunities. This means not only digital training, but also a transformation of educational systems based on basic critical capacities, logic, and reasoning as the essential tools needed to successfully accomplish that interaction. On the other hand, a sound general education remains crucial to the construction of a dynamic European ecosystem capable of attracting and retaining talented individuals who are increasingly encouraged to make their contribution beyond Union borders. Thus, the current workforce needs upskilling and reskilling capable of boosting European economic competitiveness.
If Europe currently lags behind the US and China in the field of AI, such a delay could in the future be addressed though a focus on cultural and social assets, starting in the health sector. AI applications in healthcare could yield immediate advantages, not only in terms of the improved distribution and organization of services but also, and above all, in terms of better, more personalized and effective treatments. Europe has proven global excellence in the pharmaceutical sector, and the continent could quickly benefit from the large-scale application of AI combined with Europe’s unique skills and capacities. This will only be possible if Europe succeeds in simplifying processes and aligning standards with regard to accessing and reusing health data, an area where too many European countries, Italy first and foremost, fall short.