"Italy welcomes millions of tourists, expatriates, and foreign students each year, in addition to a significant community of resident immigrants. Making public services accessible in various languages through AI presents a great opportunity to meet the needs of a modern multicultural society," stated Carmelo Cutuli, during the presentation of his book "Artificial Intelligence and Public Administration," held yesterday at the San Paolo bookstore in San Giovanni in Laterano.
The event featured the author and was moderated by Father Guido Colombo, a Paulist priest and journalist, who highlighted the book's contents, focusing specifically on the potential of artificial intelligence to enhance and diversify public services in Italy.
"With artificial intelligence, it is possible to design chatbots and virtual assistants capable of interacting with users in different languages and providing information on services, bureaucratic procedures, and the rights and duties of foreign citizens. For instance, a tourist could receive directions or public transport schedules directly in their language through a municipal app based on AI. Similarly, front-office desks at public offices such as hospitals or police stations could be equipped with instant translation systems to overcome language barriers with foreign users. Thanks to machine learning, these systems would become increasingly precise and effective over time," Cutuli continued.
"For international students at Italian universities, a virtual AI-based tutor with translation functions could assist foreign students by providing guidance and support in their native language on administrative and bureaucratic procedures such as residence permits, tax codes, healthcare, and much more," he emphasized.
"In summary, the potential of AI in public service is enormous, both in facilitating integration and in respecting diversity. It is a valuable tool for addressing the challenges of an intercultural society, provided it is used ethically and responsibly to foster a culture of encounter. Therefore, it is desirable that Italian institutions and administrations take up this challenge to adapt public services to the needs of an increasingly multicultural and interconnected society, which can also be within the reach of local entities that can leverage freely available Open Source technologies online," Cutuli concluded.
The book, published by ISSRF, with a preface by Cinzia Rossi, Professor of Organizational Anthropology at the Pontifical University Antonianum, and conclusions by Angelo Deiana, President of Confassociazioni, is intended for public managers and officials who wish to deepen their understanding of the use of AI technologies in Public Administration.
