AI for SMEs: growth and opportunities in the Mezzogiorno
In the Italian business landscape, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are embracing digitization with increasing enthusiasm, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) is proving to be a key component of this transformation. Despite the initial gap with the rest of Europe, Italy’s Mezzogiorno is showing promising signs of progress.
FOCAL POINT.
Ai and SMEs: progress toward digitization
Italian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are embracing digitization at an increasing pace, with a particular focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI). According to the latest data from Confindustria, 6.2 percent of Italian companies use AI systems, while the European average stands at 8 percent. However, the South shows a positive trend, with a percentage of 7.6 percent, in line with the rest of Europe. Small Italian companies still lag behind large enterprises, with only 5.3 percent using AI, compared to 24.3 percent of large companies.
Specifically, the digital market in Campania in 2021, reached 4.6 billion, registering a growth of 4.6 percent compared to 2020. Campania enterprises are rapidly closing the gap with the national average in terms of digitization. According to ISTAT data, from 2021 to 2022, the percentage of companies in Campania with a basic level of digitization has increased by 13.3 percent, compared to the national figure of 9.6 percent. This indicates a significant catch-up, reducing the national gap from 5.8 percentage points to only 1.1 percent.
FUTURE
Benefits of AI for SMEs
AI is becoming a crucial resource for Italian SMEs, offering numerous benefits:
AUTOMATION OF INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES: AI allows manual operations to be automated, improving efficiency and reducing the risk of human error. This allows employees to focus on more strategic and rewarding activities.
INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY: Automation improves business productivity. Employees, freed from repetitive tasks, are more motivated and productive.
CUSTOMER SERVICE IMPROVEMENT: With the use of chatbots and interaction analysis, AI can significantly improve customer service by quickly answering questions and solving common problems.
UPSELLING AND CROSS-SELLING OPPORTUNITIES: A better understanding of the customer enables companies to offer more relevant products and services, increasing sales.
LOGISTIC OPTIMIZATION: AI enables accurate forecasting and marketing automation, improving supply chain management and business logistics.
NET POV
Investment and Sustainability
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