La nuova elettricità

Opportunities, limitations, ethical questions. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is one of those innovations that marks a before and after in history. It should be approached without prejudice and with confidence. Barbara Caputo is a scientist who has been studying these topics for years.
A full professor at the Polytechnic University of Turin, after several experiences abroad, she now directs the University's Artificial Intelligence Hub. She is considered one of the leading experts on the subject.

You define artificial intelligence as the new electricity. In what sense?
I use this image because AI is pervasive just like electricity; it enables a whole series of functions that affect our lives. AI is nothing more than the automation of digital data processing, and today everything has become digital data. With our sensors, we can measure everything at very low cost; we can transform every fact of our lives into data.
Faced with all this data, we have two choices: either we throw it all away or we can build something new.

For example?
The areas of application are countless. Consider the banking sector, where AI has entered primarily through flow analysis and profiling. Or satellites that can learn to navigate through AI.
I also see great potential in AI for the growth of people's creative journeys.
Today, young people can invent content at very little cost. And this offers a very broad scope for freedom. Likewise, I see an opportunity in the field of education, through personalized training programs capable of meeting any need.

Is this already the case?
Yes, some time ago I spoke at a bar with a student who confessed to me that she uses ChatGpt in a brilliant way. Since she didn't understand her statistics professor, she asked the AI ​​to rewrite her notes to make them understandable. And it works! So, if we used AI to try to understand better, this would be a great space and tool for freedom.

In what ways are we at risk of being less free?
We must be careful because for many years we have been selling our data, even with a simple supermarket card. It's no coincidence that e-commerce platforms are, in effect, personalized.
There are attempts to influence our freedom to purchase, and they often work.
The same thing can happen in the political sphere. But we must be clear: it's up to humanity to decide how much and what to let AI do. Every choice has a social cost, even AI has a cost, and I believe our intelligence is still important.

Europe, unlike others, has decided to regulate the matter. Does that make sense?
Let's be clear: a world without rules doesn't exist, because then only the law of the strongest would matter. However, I am critical of current European legislation, because the principles must be applied to the reality of 27 different states, with 27 different procedures. In the United States, a single procedure allows me to operate in 50 states.
The current situation is also characterized by non-EU operators appropriating our data and thus being beyond real control and competition. I also realize that, at the decision-making level, there is a lack of appropriate scientific knowledge. Even in Italy, we haven't yet truly assimilated Galileo and his scientific method. Regulating something you don't fully understand is truly difficult and can create problems.

In the field of AI research, there's a significant imbalance between public and private investment. Big tech companies (Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft) have announced investments of over $300 billion. Is this concentration of power a problem?
First, I'd say that these figures must be read carefully because they can be misleading. Even in this field, announcements and aggressive positioning serve primarily to curb new competitors.
Of course, the Italian situation is still different because private research is scarce and public research is burdened by total uncertainty. Politicians are constantly changing their opinions, when long-term planning is needed. Furthermore, I see a disconnect between research and the market.

What kind?
It's difficult to turn the fruit of research into a patent.
The world of academia and manufacturing are still far away. The idea, which remains theoretical, is very important, but then it must be translated into a real product.

How can this trend be reversed?
We can change course, as the French experience demonstrates.
Ten years ago, France was at a low level. Then Macron decided to invest heavily in AI with a programming policy and approximately €200 million.
This led to three great experts who resigned from their high-tech companies and created what is now the largest European giant in the sector. We should take a leaf out of their book.

There's a little-considered issue when it comes to artificial intelligence: its environmental implications...
Exactly. The truth is that these technologies require an incredible amount of energy: computers dissipate enormous heat and require constant cooling. We can't afford to do this forever.
Perhaps AI can solve all the problems of our time, but paradoxically, we'll have to go back to wood and candles to give computers all the energy they need to perform calculations.
We must honestly ask ourselves whether we need all the data we have available. We'll have to make choices.

The other impact is social and economic. Will geopolitical and generational divides increase?
Unfortunately, yes. I'm not optimistic about this. There are inequalities, especially among young people.
I imagine everyone would like to work on these issues. But if you're born on the wrong side of the world, you'll never have the concrete tools to translate what you study into reality. Given the current state of the playing field, there's no other way to think.
I'd like every student in Italy to have the opportunity to access at least once the Italian supercomputer called Leonardo. It's truly important for young people to try their hand at these machines.

What should we expect from the future?
I don't expect as many leaps forward as in the last three years, since ChatGPT was released. I expect a slowdown in development.
We're already overcoming our initial fears; above all, we'll be able to understand which areas to invest in and which to abandon. We can say we'll have more time to get to know each other better. That said, I see many brilliant young Italians leaving for abroad after their studies.
Returning to the initial image of AI, how can we live with this electricity without electricians? It's serious that a country like ours doesn't know how to cultivate its own talents. It's a fundamental choice worth investing in.

By the editorial staff
FOCUS
NP May 2025