Digital Economy

Google bets on Italia's AI: 100,000 free licences and money for research

The tech giant invests in education and universities. But the real goal is to prepare the ground for a market that could be worth 8% of GDP

by Marco Trabucchi

6 February 2026

2' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

2' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

In Italia, the question is no longer "What is artificial intelligence?", but "How can I use it?". According to Google Trends data, this research has doubled in the last two years, signalling a change of pace in the perception of technology. And it is precisely on this fertile ground that Google is announcing an articulated investment strategy to support skills, research and innovation in our country.

A strategy that complements projects already underway, such as IA for Made in Italy, which aims to reduce the digital divide among small and medium-sized enterprises, historically slower to adopt advanced technologies, through specific training programmes, customised consultancy and a EUR 1 million fund for vulnerable communities and workers.

The ambition is to turn significant economic potential into concrete growth: according to a study commissioned by Google itself, the widespread adoption of AI could generate an 8% increase in Italy's annual GDP. But to get there, skills need to be honed, a necessary condition to fully exploit the economic and social opportunities of the technology. And this is where the plan announced by country manager Melissa Ferretti Peretti comes in.

Large-scale training

At the heart of the plan is access to expertise. Google has made available 100,000 free licences for AI courses on the global Coursera platform, distributed through universities and strategic partners such as Luiss, the Bio-Medical Campus in Rome and other universities and institutions.

The courses range from basic modules such as Google AI Essentials and Google Prompting Essentials to courses designed for job seekers or those wishing to retrain professionally in a market that already requires more and more specialised digital skills. At the end of the courses, participants obtain official Google certifications, an element that could facilitate the transition to more qualified occupations.

"The collaboration with Google strengthens the mission of reducing the distance between university and business," explains Roberto Setola, president of the Master's Degree Course in Intelligent Systems Engineering at the Bio-Medical Campus. "Access to the courses makes it possible to develop immediately spendable skills, training students ready to become ambassadors of innovation and supporting professionals in concrete upskilling and reskilling paths."

Training is not limited to the academic and professional world but also touches the school: through the Experience AI programme, created in collaboration with the Raspberry Pi Foundation and Google DeepMind, Google and local partners such as the Fondazione Mondo Digitale will train 7,000 teachers to reach over 140,000 students. The objective is twofold: to develop basic technical skills but above all to foster a critical spirit and responsible use of technology among the new generations.

University research, four centres of excellence

Another key axis of the initiative concerns applied scientific research. Through Google.org, the company's philanthropic arm, four Italian centres of excellence, including the Politecnico di Milano, the Politecnico di Torino, the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore and the University of Catania, will receive support to develop AI projects with a direct impact on sectors such as health, data science and industrial innovation. This not only strengthens the link between university and business, but also helps to bridge a gap in research investment that has penalised Italian competitiveness for years compared to its main European partners.