Italy is experiencing a revolution as silent as it is impactful, capable of redefining the national horizon and the lives of our citizens. The concept of ‘smart Italy‘, understood as a Peninsula 4.0 in which cities, which have now become smart cities, are increasingly connected and sustainable, is emerging.
The concept of ‘smart Italy’, in particular, refers to a country at the cutting edge where technology is truly able to improve the quality of life of citizens, increase the efficiency of public services and promote economic growth.
Read on to learn more about the term ‘smart Italy’.
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Smart Italy: significance
Smart Italy is a neologism, created by the Innovation Hub Catania, which stands for the continuous adoption of new technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), by companies, research organisations, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and public administration (PA).
The driving force behind this πάντα ῥεῖ, which leads to cultural change and a new mindset, is once again digital transformation. It can create new business opportunities, optimise the processes of those that already exist, make life easier for citizens (e.g. by making interactions with the state faster) and drive us towards a more sustainable future.
Examples of smart Italy: smart cities
In recent years, Italy has been testing innovative technologies such as AI, IoT and home automation that make cities more innovative, sustainable and people-friendly. The aim is to create smart cities where technology improves citizens’ quality of life and makes services more efficient.
Among the most innovative smart cities is Matera, the first Italian city to be completely mapped in augmented reality (AR). Here, by simply framing them with their smartphones, tourists can obtain real-time information on monuments, museums, hotels and restaurants.
Milan also deserves the title of smart city, thanks to the Sharing Cities project, which promotes sustainable mobility. Sharing Cities, in fact, aims to reduce the use of private cars in favour of 100% electric vehicles. The project envisages a fleet of 2,000 cars, 15,000 bicycles and 3,000 scooters that can be shared through a special app.
Other virtuous cities include Turin, with the experimentation of flying taxis for transporting goods, and Bologna, which thanks to sensors and an app shows free parking spaces in real time, limiting traffic and pollution.
The examples reported here show how smart Italy is not just an abstract concept, but a reality in continuous evolution, which can bring significant benefits to Italians and their cities.
Smart Italy: a possible future
Innovation also passes through the services offered to citizens. Examples are PagoPA, the national platform for electronic payments to the public administration, and SPID, the Public Digital Identity System, which allows millions of Italians to access online PA services with a single credential.
In any case, making Italy smart implies a long journey, which primarily involves us citizens. It will certainly not be a path free of challenges, and we will have to ensure data security, social inclusion and intercultural dynamics, and connected and sustainable cities.
Smart Italy is a good intention, which must not remain so. By creating synergies between public, private and free citizens we will relaunch our land, making it a model for smart cities around the world.
If you too want to contribute to the smart Italia project, JO Education offers you the chance to become a partner of the Innovation Hub Catania, a hotbed of innovators. So, whether you are a technology enthusiast or a new entrepreneur, by collaborating with our non-profit organisation you can improve the country you live in.
Fill in the contact form and send us an e-mail to find out more. Alternatively, you can call us at +390957463250 Monday to Friday mornings and afternoons. We will clarify all your doubts.
JO Education: digitalise your country