The Italian Institute of Artificial Intelligence for Industry (AI4I) has officially been established at OGR Tech, following the signing of a protocol by Fondazione CRT, OGR, and Fondazione AI4I. Supported by three ministries—Ministry of Economy and Finance, Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy, and Ministry of Universities and Research—the Institute aims to become an international reference hub for industrial applications of artificial intelligence.
Chaired by Fabio Pammolli and led by newly appointed Director Antonio Calegari, the Institute has completed its setup phase just six months after its launch. AI4I seeks to play a pivotal role in advancing scientific and technological research and driving innovation in artificial intelligence.
This initiative marks another major milestone in the innovation ecosystem that Fondazione CRT has been building in recent years. Through its active support, Fondazione CRT has helped position Turin as a model for artificial intelligence, serving as a best practice not only for Italy but also on the international stage.
OGR: A Thriving Innovation Hub
OGR Torino serves as the perfect home for AI4I, hosting 15 innovation programs that support over 120 startups and scale-ups annually. Prestigious accelerators like Techstars and Plug & Play, projects from Turin’s universities, Fondazione ISI, and four other applied research centers are all part of this ecosystem. These efforts attract brilliant minds and innovative ideas, creating a fertile environment for collaboration and synergy in scientific and technological research and the development of artificial intelligence.
Anna Maria Poggi, President of Fondazione CRT, emphasized the significance of the Institute in strengthening the region’s innovative and industrial fabric. “Our ambition is to make OGR a national reference point for innovation,” she stated, highlighting Turin’s key role as a technological and industrial hub. “This process will create qualified jobs, combat brain drain, and foster the development of new businesses and sectors linked to artificial intelligence in Piedmont and beyond. Collaboration with universities, competence centers, incubators, and accelerators across Italy will also play a pivotal role,” she added.
Statements from Leadership
In a statement, Pammolli underlined the national and international importance of AI4I’s presence at OGR, calling it a crucial milestone in the Institute’s history. “I want to thank CRT and OGR for enabling this transition, a fundamental step for our Institute,” he remarked.
He further explained that “AI4I is designed as an open structure within a vast and complex ecosystem, with the ambition of innovating the way technology transfer is conducted. In the coming months, thanks to Antonio Calegari’s decisive contributions, we will finalize the structures and processes needed to fully implement AI4I’s strategic vision.”
For more insights, read the interview with President Poggi in La Stampa.
