The more powerful and accessible technologies become, the more people will be able to make a difference. This is an important point which is often overlooked. We must ask ourselves what skills we need to develop in the face of new technologies. Roberta Cocco explores these issues in her recently published book, Mente, cuore, mani (Mind, heart, hands).

Cocco begins with an observation. For years, it was thought that the advantage lay primarily with those who possessed the best technology, but today, we realise that the real divide is likely to shift elsewhere: to those who will be able to understand, question and manage technologies, and to those who will be at their mercy. It is not merely a question of competitiveness; a society in which few understand and many depend on others is also a less free society.

Drawing on her 35 years at the heart of the digital transformation, from Microsoft to the public sector, academia, boardrooms and consultancy, Roberta Cocco tackles this powerful theme in her book, setting out a conviction encapsulated in a single image: the ‘human infrastructure’, on which the technological future will increasingly depend. The book therefore encourages readers to explore the three dimensions summarised in the title in greater depth. The mind encompasses knowledge, method and critical thinking, as well as the ability to distinguish the signal from the noise and to ask better questions. The heart introduces meaning, empathy and responsibility. It is not just a matter of establishing whether something is technically possible, but also of considering why it should be done, for whom and what the consequences might be. Finally, hands symbolise experimentation: trying out tools, making mistakes and learning, rather than simply observing change from afar. Three inseparable dimensions are held together by a thread that runs through the entire book: responsibility. A sense of responsibility is developed within the family, at school and more broadly through clear, consistent rules.

However, Cocco’s scholarly work also reveals a key insight: while artificial intelligence and new technologies can automate tasks, they cannot automate responsibility, judgement, trust or an understanding of context. It is this observation that highlights the need to possess and develop skills that ensure the human role remains secure.
She writes, ‘The future will depend increasingly on a less visible but crucial infrastructure: the human infrastructure. One made up of knowledge, relationships, passions and the ability to learn and collaborate, because no artificial intelligence will ever be able to completely replace the responsibility of those who decide how to use it, and because behind every technology that changes the world, there must always be a person capable of asking themselves what kind of world is worth changing for.’

Mente, cuore, mani – Le competenze come infrastruttura del futuro
Roberta Cocco
Egea, 2026