It’s been a little over a hundred days since Vincent Esposito he was appointed managing director of Microsoft Italy: “One hundred days in which great protagonists were thegenerative artificial intelligence and the cloud – he says – We have inaugurated a new course, in which access to artificial intelligence comes democratized: any company can use AI tools immediately and on a pay-as-you-go basis. Ai has become a service of the cloud, making what once required huge investments accessible. Small and medium-sized businesses can finally open the door to technologies that once seemed reserved only for large companies.”
While Italian SMEs embrace the democratization of AI and technologies, Esposito underlines how the new model has also revolutionized the IT sector. “Before, a long process of investments was needed to obtain demonstrable results – he underlines – Now, we can try and test consumption services, evaluating whether or not it is worthwhile to use them. This business model makes AI more accessible for everyone. This technology it has a disruptive impact in all sectors: it can revolutionize healthcare, allowing for more precise and personalized diagnoses. Furthermore, it can increase efficiency and productivity in the manufacturing sector, allowing companies to optimize processes and create new business models”.
The role of Microsoft Italy in this moment of digital ambition is fundamental. Esposito highlights the need to create an environment conducive to innovation and to provide Italian companies with the technological solutions necessary to compete globally: “Digitalization – he comments – is a growth engine for Italy. We have a duty to support companies in their digital transformation journey, providing them with cutting-edge tools such as artificial intelligence and cloud computing”.
But what does the announcement of Microsoft’s major investment, with the creation of a new Cloud region in Milan – three datacenters located in Lombardy, capable of guaranteeing security, privacy and advanced performance, in order to accelerate the digital transition of companies and local public administrations – worth one billion euros? “In addition to satisfying an already existing market demand – says the CEO – having a data center in Italy we can guarantee that customer data remains in the country. This is crucial for public bodies, which need to keep sensitive data at within the national territory. Furthermore, the presence of a cloud region in Italy reduces latency and improves performance for companies operating in our country”. The Cloud region is also a concrete opportunity for the country system: an IDC research reveals that by 2027 Microsoft Italy together with partners and customers will generate 237,000 new job opportunities, including both new jobs directly within the ecosystem and those that will be created on the outside. In addition, Microsoft, its ecosystem, and customer IT departments will add 40,700 new skilled II jobs over the same period.
What are the sectors that require AI the most? Esposito reveals that, paradoxically, the manufacturing sector he is not a major proponent of generating artificial intelligence. Companies that handle a huge amount of documents, such as the public administration, are among those who benefit the most. “Our goal is to democratize access to artificial intelligence – he says – Today any company can use artificial intelligence tools immediately and on a pay-as-you-go basis. AI has become a cloud service, making accessible what once required huge investments. Small and medium-sized businesses can finally open the doors to technologies that once seemed reserved only for large companies”.
However, Esposito also emphasizes the need to address challenges related to digital ambition, such as the data security and the digital skills training. “Data security is an absolute priority – he adds -. We must ensure that the sensitive information of citizens and companies is protected from increasingly sophisticated cyber threats”. Furthermore, training in digital skills is essential to enable all citizens to actively participate in the digital ambition. “Digital ambition is the ambition to be able to do important things – he adds – It is about wanting to push our country towards the future by involving all interested parties, from companies to public bodies and civil society”. And he concludes: “I’m an optimist: what we are experiencing is a technological revolution that will help us live better, optimize our work, leaving us human beings more time for interesting activities”.