President Meloni meets with Microsoft President Brad Smith

The President of the Council of Ministers, Giorgia Meloni, received the President of Microsoft, Brad Smith, at Palazzo Chigi today.

During the meeting, President Meloni expressed satisfaction with the significant investment Microsoft has announced it will be making in Italy to increase the data centres needed to support the growing demand for artificial intelligence services.

Boosting processing power, by leveraging Italian excellence in higher education and research, will help consolidate Italy's role as a digital hub in the Mediterranean, also in line with the priorities of the Mattei Plan for Africa and the G7's strategic 'Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment' ('PGII') initiative.

The meeting, one of a series of contacts President Meloni has had with representatives from the innovation sector, also provided an opportunity for an exchange of views on global technological and IT development prospects, with particular reference to artificial intelligence, the opportunities to be seized and the risks to be prevented.