A book suggests the path to understanding this new technology

Do not get carried away by either enthusiasm or pessimism. All things considered, the ability to assess matters carefully and objectively is a quality that everyone should possess, and even more so those who find themselves in a leadership position. This quality is particularly important when crucial decisions are being made and when innovation is being assessed, as is certainly the case with artificial intelligence: a disruptive technology that is still not well understood and is often used unwisely.

It is this cluster of issues that Nicoletta De Vincenzi (currently a Senior Advisor to companies, start-ups and organisations on the topics of artificial intelligence, strategy and digital transformation, and formerly holding senior international roles at Google, Meta and TikTok) explores in her recently published book, ‘L’intelligenza che resta umana’ (Intelligence that remains human).

De Vincenzi explores the boundary between what, in the age of AI, should not be automated and what must remain the responsibility of humans: judgement, meaning and choice. As the author argues, in a world dominated by data, models and optimisation, intelligence is a decision-making infrastructure that requires vision, high-quality data and informed leadership. This is certainly no easy task, requiring the ability to avoid being swept up by uncritical enthusiasm or pessimism. The book therefore examines all aspects of AI, proposing tools to rethink processes, roles and responsibilities when adopting what can certainly be regarded as the most revolutionary technology of the century.

The reader begins by examining AI as a decision-making system, before exploring the value of data and the limitations of models. The book then moves on to analyse the point at which AI becomes a system that moves ‘from suggesting to acting’. Finally, it concludes with an analysis of the issues surrounding ‘governing what systems know and produce’.

Reading Nicoletta De Vincenzi’s book provides the tools needed to navigate the complex and sometimes risky process of adopting AI. It is a journey that must always be guided by the concept that the author summarises effectively: ‘AI does not reduce the need to think;  it makes it more difficult and more necessary’.

L’intelligenza che resta umana. Governare l’AI senza perdere il controllo

Nicoletta De Vincenzi

Castelvecchi, 2026