Amazing advances in Artificial Intelligence and robotics are transforming the industrial system in profound and irreversible ways, at an unprecedented speed. The disruptive impact in all sectors of industry and the economy is due to AI’s ability to fuel a radical transformation of digital and physical systems, making them increasingly interconnected and able to interact and collaborate in intelligent ways. The Italian system, which is rich in resources and potential, needs to advance both basic and applied research on AI issues, and to pour the results obtained into strategic sectors for industry; in this way, it will be possible to make the most of the growth driver that the introduction of these new technologies can bring to the national industry. Preventive maintenance and diagnostics, next-generation automated quality control, intelligent manufacturing and its adaptive management, demand-driven production, and distributed intelligence in systems that rely on IoT and edge/fog paradigms are some of the key themes of Industry 4.0, where fundamental research on machine learning, computer vision, natural language processing, planning and reasoning are crucial aspects for maintaining the global competitiveness of the Italian industry. At the same time, applied research in these areas will lead to the formation of AI experts ready to be introduced into the world of work and immediately valorised, experts for whom there is currently a huge demand – and shortage – worldwide. At the same time, the expected results will lead to the development of prototypes, patents and start-ups with products that can be used by the Italian manufacturing industry. The PhD course will maintain a strong dialogue with the country’s major companies and the numerous SMEs that are moving in this direction, in order to combine academic excellence with the constraints and need for innovation in Italy’s productive fabric.
Lead University: Politecnico di Torino.
Participants Universities and Research Institutions: Politecnico di Torino, sede amministrativa, CNR, Università di Bologna, Politecnico di Milano, Università di Milano, Università di Milano Bicocca, Università di Padova, Università Ca’ Foscari Venezia, Università di Verona
Associated Universities and Research Institutions: Università dell’Aquila, Università di Ferrara, Università di Genova, Università del Molise, Università di Torino, Università Politecnica delle Marche
Calls for admission: Calls