Only 8% Of Italian Companies Use AI, Many Residents Lack Digital Knowledge

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni (photo; x @GiorgiaMeloni ·)

JAKARTA - In Italy, which has been burdened by slow economic growth, the number of companies using artificial intelligence (AI) is very limited when compared to other EU countries. This is known according to data released on Wednesday, May 21 by the national statistical institution, ISTAT.

In a comprehensive annual report, the ISTAT states that only eight of the 100 Italian companies will use AI by 2024. This is a lower number compared to France and Spain, as well as well as well below the nearly 20% figure in Germany.

According to ISTAT in general, digital skills in Italy are far from Europe's target. Only 45.8% of Italians aged 16-74 have basic digital skills by 2023, according to the latest available data, compared to the European Union's average of 55.5% and European targets that want 80% by 2030.

This percentage is even lower in the southern Italian region of Mezzogiorno and the islands of Sicily and Sardinia only reached 36.1%.

Amid increasingly severe economic challenges, exacerbated by the deep demographic crisis, more and more young Italians are educated in choosing to try their luck abroad.

In 2023, 21,000 graduates aged 25-34 years left Italy, an increase of 21.2% compared to the previous year, according to the ISTAT. ISTAT added that in the last 10 years, Italy has lost 97,000 skilled young workers.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government last month cut its annual growth projection by 2025 to 0.6%, down from the 1.2% target set in September. This comes amid increased uncertainty due to US trade rate policies. In the first quarter, Italy's economy grew 0.3% compared to the previous three months, based on preliminary data.