Artificial intelligence: a pact in Palermo to train those who will drive innovation
Three-year agreement between Lumsa and Polisophia: research, training and European funding schemes to support businesses and institutions in the responsible use of artificial intelligence
To train those who will be responsible for deciding how to use artificial intelligence in businesses and organisations. And to complement technological skills with the ability to assess its impact on work, people and society. The collaboration between Lumsa and Polisophia – a community for responsible innovation whose members include Intesa Sanpaolo, Bancomat, ABI, Farmindustria, Assolombarda, Centromarca and Barilla – is launching in Palermo. This partnership brings together research, training and a culture of responsible innovation.
The programme is set out in a three-year agreement signed by the Rector of LUMSA, Francesco Bonini, and the President and Founder of Polisophia Aps-Ets, Ruben Razzante. On the university’s side, the activities will be coordinated by Licaim, the Lumsa International Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence Management, an interdisciplinary centre based in the Sicilian capital which also studies the ethical, legal and social implications of AI.
The agreement provides for training programmes, masterclasses and executive development activities, alongside research projects on artificial intelligence, ethics and governance models. The programme also includes scientific publications, studies, reports and joint participation in national and European calls for proposals. These activities aim to forge a lasting link between universities, businesses, institutions and civil society.
“For Licaim, AI is a set of strategic and organisational choices, and every choice involves those who make the decisions and those who are accountable for them,” observes the centre’s director, Giovanni Battista Dagnino. The issue therefore also concerns the skills of those who run a business or organisation: introducing artificial intelligence requires defining its objectives, methods of use and responsibilities.
The agreement was presented during the conference ‘The Challenges of Contemporary Forms of Intelligence: Humanity and Artificiality for Responsible Innovation’, sponsored by Palermo City Council. The event brought together representatives from academia, the business world and public institutions to discuss the relationship between innovation and human capital.
