Corporate Management

Artificial Intelligence in Italian SMEs, the challenge of skills and governance not to fall behind

Despite its potential, AI adoption in Italian SMEs remains limited by training gaps and organisational difficulties

by Gianni Rusconi

9 March 2026

«Intelligenza artificiale e competitività – Guida operativa delle imprese» di Stefano da Empoli, presidente dell’Istituto per la Competitività (I-Com), e Luca Gatto, senior manager di Sace e docente alla Luiss Business School.

4' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

4' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

The artificial intelligence is no longer an experimental option but a competitive factor affecting productivity, revenues and international positioning: this is confirmed by a multiplicity of studies. And yet, in the productive system of Italia, the adoption of AI seems to proceed at a reduced speed, especially in SMEs, which nevertheless represent the backbone of the national economy. What is holding things back are, above all, digital skills, which are still limited in a good portion of small and medium-sized companies. The risk for the business ecosystem is twofold: to lose further ground compared to the main international competitors and to give up a decisive push on growth and the ability to tackle the demographic and digital transition. And it is in this context that Artificial Intelligence and Competitiveness - An Operational Guide for Enterprises (Egea, 2025), a volume signed by Stefano da Empoli, president of the Institute for Competitiveness (I-Com), and Luca Gatto, senior manager of Sace and lecturer at Luiss Business School, is set.

The book proposes a structured path in eight steps to accompany entrepreneurs and managers in the conscious introduction of artificial intelligence into business processes, overcoming the episodic and experimental approach that still characterises many initiatives and focusing on the real crux of technology adoption, namely execution. Skills, governance, organisational integration, risk management and regulatory compliance are central issues for everyone, management first and foremost, in a phase in which Europe is trying to combine innovation and rules and companies are called upon to transform AI from a technological promise into a concrete factor of competitive advantage. We talked about it with the two authors.

In the book we talk about the risk of 'episodic' adoption: what is the most frequent mistake managers make when starting AI projects?

Imagining that technology is the crucial issue while organisation and training count much more, starting from the concrete needs of the company. And that is why every adoption project must be tailor-made.

The data show an average revenue increase of 12% for companies adopting technology. In which business functions is this impact most measurable today and where, on the other hand, do we tend to overestimate the benefits?

Of course it is easier to measure it in marketing and sales, but in reality it is important never to lose sight of the fact that the potential benefits are transversal and can affect all business functions.

Your framework suggests that AI is also an organisational as well as a technological choice. Where should we start to meet this challenge?

As mentioned earlier, one must start with the needs of the business and for this to happen, it must be those who lead the company who take the initiative, taking responsibility for the necessary changes. The advice is to start with a few testable projects, so that they can be validated, implemented and their results measured with due precision, and possibly scaled up to other departments and for further tasks if the outcome is positive.

Skills shortage emerges as the main barrier: why does AI training struggle to enter companies' strategic priorities?

Partly it stems from a still low adoption, which in 2025 was in the average range of 16.4 per cent of all Italian companies, but surveys tell us that even in virtuous cases training projects are not as many as one would expect. This partly stems from an inadequate supply of training in the system, and the main reasons in my opinion are twofold. In view of the fact that AI is apparently easy to use, there is more focus on investing in technology than on the human resources needed to optimise its use. It also does not help that different departments deal with one and the other, and as a result AI is often treated as yet another piece of software that enters the corporate perimeter. Turning to the second factor, given the rapid evolution of technology and the arrival of new applications in a continuous stream, there is the classic bewilderment effect on the training to be provided.

The size gap of Italian companies also weighs on the adoption of AI: can't flexibility, specialisation and districts become a competitive advantage rather than a limitation?

We believe that the flexibility of Italian companies, understood as the ability to adapt to external circumstances on the one hand, and agility of execution on the other, can be an essential competitive advantage. The important thing, however, is that the small entrepreneur, who is almost never a technology specialist, is put in a position to understand the type of interventions required for a successful adoption of AI. And it is precisely from this premise that we thought we would provide a little help through our book.

The AI Act introduces new governance and compliance obligations. Is there a risk that the legislation will be perceived by companies as a brake?

It is certainly a real risk, even beyond the fact that it really is. But in this kind of situation, especially for companies that do not have significant internal or external legal resources, perception counts for a lot, helped by the many ambiguities inevitably contained in an extremely extensive regulatory text.

If you had to indicate a concrete priority for the next 12-18 months, what investment or strategy should a manager who wants to make AI a structural lever of competitiveness put on the agenda?

First of all, they should understand in which areas and with which tools artificial intelligence is able to increase the competitiveness of their company. Information is the first basis and can be obtained by reading but also by attending conferences or courses or even by word of mouth and comparison with one's peers. In this sense, the role of business associations, replicated at a more local and specialised level by districts, is in my opinion essential to spread best practices but also common mistakes to be avoided.

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