Piacentini: ‘More AI in the workplace – and it should be managed from the top’

‘There is no longer any room for entrepreneurs who know nothing about artificial intelligence and delegate everything to their organisation. Change must be managed from the top.” What Diego Piacentini, founder of View Different – an investment vehicle and venture capital firm – offered from the stage at the Quisisana in Capri during the Confindustria Youth Conference is almost a handbook for introducing AI into a company. Piacentini is a guru of new technologies, having gained experience at Apple and Amazon, and as the Government’s Special Commissioner for the implementation of the Digital Agenda during the Renzi administration – to name just a few of the many roles he has held.

“Entrepreneurs,” he explains, “rather than asking themselves how to introduce AI into their business, should start by asking what problem they intend to solve and, consequently, adopt the most suitable tools.” “There are sectors,” he explains, “in which AI is very widespread. For example, in 60 per cent of consumer credit operations. And in 100 per cent of customer service.”

‘Will AI lead to job losses?’ he asks. Not necessarily: in some sectors, it creates jobs. ‘Data centres,’ says Piacentini, ‘create jobs. Technically, this is also possible in the services and healthcare sectors.’ But he warns: ‘Law firms are the most at risk of having their functions replaced by AI. For now, some large firms are adopting AI tools, and this is boosting their productivity.’ More than job losses, however, according to the founder of View Different, the problem is ‘the gradual shortage of workers’. And he asks again: “Why not steer the education system towards the professions we believe will be in greatest demand today and tomorrow? Why not prepare young people to use artificial intelligence responsibly?”