AI REGULATIONS IN ITALY

The AI Strategic Programme, managed by the Minister of Technological Innovation and Digital Transition (MITD), is a comprehensive initiative that spans from 2022 to 2024, aiming to significantly enhance Italy’s artificial intelligence ecosystem. The programme is designed to strengthen AI skills and attract top talent, increase funding for advanced AI research, and encourage the widespread adoption of AI technologies in both public administrations and the private sector. The objectives of the AI Strategic Programme are multifaceted. Firstly, it aims to  advance frontier research in AI, ensuring that Italy remains at the cutting edge of AI developments. It also seeks to reduce the fragmentation of AI research, fostering a more cohesive and collaborative research environment. Another key goal is to develop and implement human-centric and trustworthy AI systems that align with ethical standards and societal needs. The programme is committed to boosting AI-based innovation and the development of AI technologies, which are essential for driving economic growth and competitiveness. Additionally, it aims to create, retain, and attract AI researchers, ensuring that Italy has a robust pipeline of skilled professionals in the AI field..

The relevant policy areas covered by the AI Strategic Programme include development, the digital economy, economy, education, employment, innovation, investment, and public governance. This broad scope ensures that AI’s benefits are widespread and integrated across various sectors. The programme also relates to national AI policies and aims to support a diverse range of direct beneficiaries, including public research institutes, private R&D labs, postdoctoral researchers and other early-career researchers, firms of all sizes, incubators, accelerators, hubs, as well as national and subnational governments.

The background of this initiative dates back to 2019 when the Ministry of Economic Development set up a group of experts to develop proposals for a national AI strategy. This group concluded its activities by presenting a draft strategy document, which underwent public consultation. On July 2, 2020, the Ministry published the final document containing guidelines prepared by AI experts.

In a related initiative, the Task Force on Artificial Intelligence of the Agency for Digital Italy, starting in 2018, developed proposals for an Italian AI strategy. This effort was driven by an expert group selected by the Ministry of Economic Development and culminated in the publication of a comprehensive report in July 2020. The objectives of this earlier effort were to develop a cohesive AI strategy for Italy, focusing on fostering a digital ecosystem for AI and providing an enabling policy environment.

This expert group, composed of 30 specialists in AI, met six times between January and May 2019. The group was structured into subgroups dedicated to various aspects of AI, including ethics and regulations, research and technological development, data economy, training and skills building, and public administration. The General Directorate for Industrial Policy, Competitiveness, and SMEs of the Ministry for Economic Development provided ongoing support throughout this process.

The strategic report released in March 2018 identified nine key challenges for developing a national AI strategy: ethics, technology, skills, the role of data, the legal context, accompanying the transformation, preventing inequalities, measuring the impact, and focusing on the human being. These challenges highlight the comprehensive approach required to effectively integrate AI into various aspects of society and governance, ensuring that the development and deployment of AI technologies are ethical, inclusive, and beneficial to all.