Today, July 12, 2024, the Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act), the European Artificial Intelligence Regulation that will come into force in Italy on August 2, 2024, was published in the Official Journal of the European Union.
With the AI Act, the EU aims to ensure that the use of artificial intelligence is safe and reliable.
All businesses will have to adapt to the new rules of the Union, the first in the world to regulate the disruptive artificial intelligence revolution, becoming trailblazers and pioneers in the technology that now promises to change organizations and the lives of all of us.
These days, Seeds for the Future 2024, the 11th edition of the project organized and funded by Huawei, is taking place in Rome, during which ample space is devoted to the international Tech4Good program, a group project work designed so that students can better understand the role played by technology in solving complex global problems.
The initiative is taking place for the first time in Europe – previous editions have always been held in China – and is involving about 150 students, including 24 from Italy, from July 1 to 5. The program offers a pathway on technology and innovation and aims to promote merit and excellence among young people in the ICT sector, focusing not only on educational aspects but also on concrete application in the industrial world.
The training also has a section dedicated to competition: part of each day is devoted to the project starting with the identification of a problem and ending with the proposal of a technological solution and the development of a plan for its implementation.
The students, divided into groups, are guided by dedicated mentors who help them acquire the necessary skills to develop their idea and present it effectively, assess the feasibility of their project and follow its execution step by step. Afterwards, the two European finalist groups will have the opportunity to participate in the global competition to be held in China in 2025 (TBD). The three global finalist groups will then have access to prizes and additional advanced coaching sessions with industry experts.
On Friday, July 5, the final day of the project, there will be a presentation of the Tech4Good semi-finalist projects, followed in the early evening by the award ceremony for the finalist projects and the most outstanding students.
Seeds for the Future is Huawei’s main global CSR program. Launched in 2008, it aims to develop local ICT talent, improve technology knowledge sharing and promote greater interest in the digital technology sector. To date, Seeds for the Future has involved 140 countries and seen the participation of more than 18,000 students. In Europe, the program was launched in 2011 and, to date, has involved more than 6,000 students from 37 countries.
On June 27, 2024, the 10th edition of the Food Industry Monitor (FIM) was held, an event dedicated to the macro trends taking place in the food & beverage sector and the analysis of growth prospects in the next two years, organized by the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo together with Ceresio Investors, with the media partnership of Pambianconews, Foodcommunity.it and Consilium Hub.
The theme of the conference, “Ten Years of Italian Food,” offered an in-depth analysis of the transformations and trends that have characterized the landscape of the food industry in Italy from 2014 to the present; at the opening of the event, moderated by Sebastiano Barisoni, Deputy Executive Director of Radio 24, the results of the research were presented by Gabriele Corte, General Manager of Ceresio Investors, Michele Antonio Fino, UNISG Professor, and Carmine Garzia, Scientific Manager of the Observatory.
This was followed by a panel discussion among managers, entrepreneurs from leading Italian food companies, who commented on the excellent results achieved related to the factors of growth, exports, profitability, productivity and financial structure, continuing with the sharing of perspectives on the future evolution of the sector. The conference conclusions were entrusted to Carlo Petrini, founder of Slow Food International and president of the University of Gastronomic Sciences.
The results
The Italian food sector has seen significant growth over the past decade, rising from a value of 53 billion in 2012 to about 90 billion in 2023. Exports have seen continuous growth, rising from 23 billion to 44 billion in the same period.
“It is necessary to emphasize the absolute excellence of the sector, which, in 10 years has known how to overcome several economic crises, a pandemic, geopolitical tensions and deglobaliztion processes, while continuing to grow above the national average, increasing exports and generating continuous interest in merger and acquisition transactions.” – commented Gabriele Corte, Managing Director of Ceresio Investors.
In particular, the 2023 earnings data showed an extremely positive scenario for the food sector, with 10 percent growth due to both the good resilience of the domestic market and the excellent performance seen in exports.
“The sector continues to grow due to both good domestic consumption and strong dynamism in the international market. Quality exports are a decisive driving force of the Italian food sector.” – explained Carmine Garzia, Scientific Manager of the Observatory.
The forecast for the 2024-2025 biennium
FIM is not only an opportunity to analyze historical data, but also to outline future trends. By analyzing more than 850 companies operating in 15 different sectors, it provides valuable insights into the profitability, productivity and business models that are driving the growth of the food and beverage industry.
Growth in the food & beverage sector will continue in the 2024-2025 biennium with rates exceeding GDP. In more detail, growth of +4.8 percent is projected for 2024, and 5.2 percent for 2025. Growing the most in 2024 will be typical Made in Italy sectors such as coffee, oil, spirits and wine, mainly due to good results on the international market. The positive trend will also affect other sectors such as pasta, milk and derivatives, and sweets, although with a lower growth rate due to the tensions generated by the distribution system and the contraction of consumption in some segments of the Italian market.
Consilium took part in the event “How does the organization change with AI?” organized by REDOPEN at the University of Milano-Bicocca. It was the second meeting of the AI Digital Sonar project, supported by Haier Europe and Arlati Ghislandi, during which perspectives and challenges in the stable and responsible integration of AI in the organizational, production and communication flows of Italian companies were discussed. An example of how research and business can merge to promote responsible and informed adoption of artificial intelligence.
The meeting was also the occasion for the presentation of the volume “Assessing Artificial Intelligence. An Introductory Overview of AI Standards and Impact Assessments,” the first public contribution, edited by REDOPEN Factory, whose goal is to help proactively initiate a process of widespread awareness among people, and especially among those who make decisions, use, apply, and design AI technologies.
In addition to speeches by various industry experts, entrepreneurs and innovators, there was also a talk by Enea Nepentini, Founding Partner of Consilium Comunicazione, with the report “AI in Information Management in Complex and Critical Situations,” who contributed to the discussion by recounting his own experience and the procedures implemented by the agency to improve the effectiveness of marketing and communication strategies and embrace innovation.
Crisis communication and reputational intelligence in the time of AI present new challenges and opportunities for organizations. New scenarios are opening up that impact the way workflow is managed, offering powerful tools to improve emergency management.
The path of experimentation and application of Chatgpt and Gemini in Consilium goes in the direction of integrating the tools in an intelligent, ethical and responsible way toward the maximum expression and improvement of our services.
According to findings of the PoliMi HR Observatory, only 5 percent of Italians are happy at work. Where does the problem lie and what can companies do about it? How much do entrepreneurs care about employees’ mental health? What solutions can come from abroad?
The world of work is changing, but entrepreneurs and workers have yet to find common ground. The demand for greater productivity and on-call availability increasingly clashes with the desire to protect one’s space and create a clear separation between private and professional spheres. This gives rise to misunderstandings, stress and prejudices such as those about spoiled and lazy young people.
Carlo Romanelli, occupational psychologist and founder of the management consulting company Net Working, spoke on these issues at the microphones of 𝗥𝗧𝗟 𝟭𝟬𝟮.𝟱 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀, stressing that “we need to overturn the cultural and historical equation that more productivity brings more profit and consequently more welfare. We need to understand that if there is more welfare, and companies create the conditions for this to happen, this can translate into more productivity and more profit.”
Concessioni Autostradali Lombarde SpA – CAL SpA leaves its mark with news that cannot go unnoticed: the inauguration two months early of the works for the Sky Stadium in Bormio, the first work to start in Lombardy territory linked to Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games.
The Ski Stadium, fully financed by Regione Lombardia, is part of the larger framework of a series of works that will be built in the Municipality of Bormio. At the end of the event, the Municipality and the Region will have two facilities that can be used for multiple events and shows of various kinds: the Family Lounge and the Hospitality Lounge, which will be built in the arrival area of the Stelvio Slope.
The early start of the work compared to the schedule testifies to the commitment and expertise of the CAL group, but also to its crucial role in infrastructure development and in elevating Italy’s prestige in the international sporting events scene. The news has received excellent media coverage, even gaining space in Il Sole 24 Ore, as well as in Ansa and Il Giorno.
We will continue to follow with great interest and passion the developments of this project ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics.
