Language Passa all'italiano
Home
Company
Who we are Mission & Vision Ethical code Join us Certifications and Quality
Services and Products
Products VR and Simulation Engineering & System Integration Research and Development
Markets News Contacts
Discover the products
Header image

Strategies and algorithmic sovereignty the focus of the 4th Machiavelli Forum

June 12 - 2025

The 4th Machiavelli Forum on Defense, organized by the Centro Studi Machiavelli, was held on Tuesday, June 11, at the Link University in Rome. The event brought together representatives from institutions and the Armed Forces, including Defense Minister Guido Crosetto and Minister of Economy and Finance Giancarlo Giorgetti; industry players and academics to discuss the preparedness of the Italian Defense System for international challenges, with a focus on the strategic and technological aspects that are redefining the future of the armed forces.

Among the various thematic panels that punctuated the day, the one entitled “AI in Defense: Applications and Strategies,” dedicated to one of the most pressing and complex issues in the contemporary debate, was of particular interest.

To confront each other on stage:

  • Alessio Calabrò, CEO of RAIT88 and entrepreneur in the technology and aerospace sector
  • Prof. Marco Angelini, professor of computer engineering, cyber intelligence expert
  • Gen. B. Camillo Sileo, former deputy chief of the VI Department of the Defense General Staff
  • Hon. Angelo Tofalo, CEO of Quantum Ket and former Undersecretary of Defense

Moderating the panel was journalist Francesca Ronchin, RAI correspondent, who led the discussion with pointed questions about technological evolution in defense.

AI in Defense as a decision multiplier, not a human substitute

In his speech, Alessio Calabrò stressed that Artificial Intelligence (AI) represents a strategic opportunity to increase the speed and accuracy of decision-making in military operations.

“There are two key issues in defense today: information and reaction time. AI can be instrumental in both, but we cannot blindly rely on an algorithm to decide where our ships or bases are. “

The RAIT88 CEO highlighted the need to view AI not as an autonomous operational entity, but as a computational amplifier serving the human decision maker.

“If it used to take 10 or 20 minutes to work out complex scenarios, today we can do it in seconds. AI must help us calculate faster, not guard national secrets. “

Algorithmic sovereignty: a race not to be missed

In the second speech, Calabrò drew attention to the concept of algorithmic sovereignty, understood as the Country System’s ability to own, understand and govern AI technology without depending on foreign suppliers.

“For the first time in history we are facing a momentous change: AI has entered our homes without most people knowing how it works. A national strategy is needed. “

For Calabrò, investing in AI means not only software, but also advanced, independent computational infrastructure powered by distributed, energy-dense computing networks.

“Even before software, you have to invest in computers, interconnected systems of tens or hundreds of thousands of cores. And without power, you don’t get far. “

RAIT88 serving the defense of the future

Calabrò closed his speech with a call for cohesion among universities, research centers and national industry to build a shared roadmap toward technology that is not suffered but governed.

“We have excellence that the world envies us. We just need to remember how to be a team. Better to arrive later, but safely, than to burn out and risk the crash. “

Also noteworthy are the words of Defense Minister Crosetto, who made a lightning visit during the forum proceedings. “*We need to be clear: security is not a given. And the very dual meaning of the term helps us understand this. It is not taken for granted because it is not guaranteed: it has to be built every day, with training, cooperation and readiness. But it is also not taken for granted in the economic sense: it has a cost, and we cannot afford to skimp on what guarantees our freedom. For without security, there is no freedom. And without freedom, there is no future .”*

Of all the speeches and topics touched upon, perhaps one of the most relevant was brought by the minister himself: “*A cultural leap is needed: we are not ready to deal with issues like war. But ignoring them does not erase them. A new awareness is needed: defense is not a government issue, but a nation issue: because security is not an opinion, it is a collective responsibility .*“

You can catch up with the entire event from the Radio Radicale website

Gallery