What is driving the digital transition?
A study by the Bank of Italy provides an analysis of the reasons behind the adoption of cloud computing and artificial intelligence (AI) by Italian companies
New technologies present a challenge to companies that need to adopt them. It is an important challenge that could determine the future of many manufacturing organisations. Therefore, it is extremely important to understand the conditions that enable companies to adopt innovative technology. This is particularly true of advanced digital technologies, which are transforming the organisation and performance of enterprises. As yet, however, there has been little comprehensive research into the adoption of these technologies. To gain a real understanding, careful and analytical studies are needed. ‘Embracing the digital transition: the adoption of cloud computing and AI by Italian firms’ goes some way towards addressing this. The research, carried out within the Bank of Italy and based on data from the Institute’s corporate surveys, evaluates the uptake of cloud computing and artificial intelligence (AI) among Italian companies.
The key numbers that emerge from the research are clear. By early 2024, over 50% of companies employing at least 20 people had adopted cloud services, with little variation across industries. This suggests that cloud technology is becoming standard infrastructure. In contrast, AI adoption remains more limited, rising from 4% in 2020 to 13% in 2024, and is still often an experimental step within enterprises or adopted for specific activities. So what drives adoption or pushes a company away from AI? According to the research, the adoption of AI is strongly related to company size, export activity and innovation capacity, while managerial quality and prior digital investments also influence uptake. It appears to be a question of management and technical culture. However, the Bank of Italy’s research goes further, also investigating expectations regarding generative AI. It is noted that these expectations point to the transformation of labour rather than its displacement. According to the researchers, the analysis reveals that the adoption of digital technology has a positive correlation with achieved and expected employment growth.
Embracing the digital transition: the adoption of cloud computing and AI by Italian firms
Lorenzo Bencivelli, Sara Formai, Elena Mattevi, Tullia Padellini
Bank of Italy, Occasional Papers (Questioni di economia e finanza), No. 946 – June 2025
A study by the Bank of Italy provides an analysis of the reasons behind the adoption of cloud computing and artificial intelligence (AI) by Italian companies
New technologies present a challenge to companies that need to adopt them. It is an important challenge that could determine the future of many manufacturing organisations. Therefore, it is extremely important to understand the conditions that enable companies to adopt innovative technology. This is particularly true of advanced digital technologies, which are transforming the organisation and performance of enterprises. As yet, however, there has been little comprehensive research into the adoption of these technologies. To gain a real understanding, careful and analytical studies are needed. ‘Embracing the digital transition: the adoption of cloud computing and AI by Italian firms’ goes some way towards addressing this. The research, carried out within the Bank of Italy and based on data from the Institute’s corporate surveys, evaluates the uptake of cloud computing and artificial intelligence (AI) among Italian companies.
The key numbers that emerge from the research are clear. By early 2024, over 50% of companies employing at least 20 people had adopted cloud services, with little variation across industries. This suggests that cloud technology is becoming standard infrastructure. In contrast, AI adoption remains more limited, rising from 4% in 2020 to 13% in 2024, and is still often an experimental step within enterprises or adopted for specific activities. So what drives adoption or pushes a company away from AI? According to the research, the adoption of AI is strongly related to company size, export activity and innovation capacity, while managerial quality and prior digital investments also influence uptake. It appears to be a question of management and technical culture. However, the Bank of Italy’s research goes further, also investigating expectations regarding generative AI. It is noted that these expectations point to the transformation of labour rather than its displacement. According to the researchers, the analysis reveals that the adoption of digital technology has a positive correlation with achieved and expected employment growth.
Embracing the digital transition: the adoption of cloud computing and AI by Italian firms
Lorenzo Bencivelli, Sara Formai, Elena Mattevi, Tullia Padellini
Bank of Italy, Occasional Papers (Questioni di economia e finanza), No. 946 – June 2025