On October 22, 2025, the AI OPERATIONS FORUM took place in Milan, a strategic event that brought together Italian industry to discuss sustainability and digitalization. The highlight was the presentation of the results of the "What’s Next in Operations? Benchmarking Study.“
As a testament to the importance of the topics discussed, Il Sole 24 Ore dedicated an in-depth article to the presented research, highlighting the gap between Italian excellence in sustainability and the lag in the digital transition.
Italian industry is efficient and growing, but shows a concerning shortcoming in its readiness to adopt digital technologies. The study, based on a sample of over 100 companies, paints a two-speed picture. Italian companies demonstrate strong maturity in sustainability, with an index reaching an excellent 89%. In contrast, digitalization is the most lagging component, stuck at 48 %, and represents the greatest potential for development.
CEO Michele Bonfiglioli reiterated that the adoption of AI and innovative technologies is an indispensable lever for competitiveness and resilience, and that such a gap is no longer acceptable. 53% of executives admit to a low level of digitalization within their organizations.
The article in Il Sole 24 Ore highlights the link between the digital lag and the poor integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI): 55% of companies have not yet implemented AI, only 31% use it in a consolidated manner, and Generative AI is integrated into only 9% of processes.
The main barriers to digital adoption are not costs, but a lack of internal expertise, data quality, and integration with existing systems. The main challenge lies in practical application: achieving significant benefits requires substantial investments in training, time, and technological infrastructure.
The full article offers a comprehensive analysis of investment strategies, data on the most widely used technologies (ERP, CRM, MES), and the implications for corporate competitiveness. Read the full article in Il Sole24Ore from October 23, 2025.
Here you can find the article published in the Digital Economy Technology section of Il Sole 24 Ore
ai translated